Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images Summary: You can’t approach AI ethics with only formal procedures, say leaders at global retailer H&M Group. So to help build its collective moral compass, the company has built a culture of AI ethics based on experimentation. Its AI ethics training emphasizes concrete business examples and principles that teach people what to ask. H&M Group’s example shows that organizations can practice AI ethics and…
The Alberta Court of Appeal’s (ABCA) recent decision in Xemex Contracting Inc. v. Aspen Properties (Northland Place) Ltd., 2025 ABCA 49, serves as a reminder that not all work performed for a tenant will provide a “direct benefit” to the landlord, nor will it necessarily render the landlord’s fee simple interest in the land “vulnerable” to liens. Contractors performing work on leased properties, who wish to preserve their right to…
Last year, we introduced Copilot+ PCs — the fastest, most intelligent and secure Windows PCs ever created. Since then, our Copilot+ PC portfolio has continued to evolve with the introduction of new silicon, devices and AI experiences. . By merging cutting-edge hardware with accessible, intelligent software, these updates are not just adapting to customers’ needs but empowering them to achieve more. Expanding accessibility features At the core of Windows is…
La frase "boom urbano" prácticamente fue creada para la industria minera, con sucesivas épocas de euforia durante fiebres del oro, seguidas de caídas igualmente intensas. Este patrón se ha repetido durante la década pasada, con las compañías mineras sacudidas por una pandemia global, tensiones comerciales y conflictos geopolíticos (Gráfico 1). Muy pocas han podido capitalizar los períodos de auge para suavizar las recesiones. En cambio, como observamos en 2022, la…
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice recently released its decision on a vexatious litigation application in Lenczner Slaght LLP v. Glycobiosciences Inc et al, 2025 ONSC 829. The law firm, Lenczner Slaght (Lenczner), brought an application pursuant to section 140 of the Courts of Justice Act to declare both the corporation and its director vexatious litigants. Background The respondents on this vexatious litigant application were Glycobiosciences Inc. (Glyco), an Ontario…
Xavier couldn’t remember the last time he had fun. His marriage was strained, his children distant and work had become a drag. He had spent so much of his time and energy being serious that he’d forgotten what it was like to feel joy.But a conversation with an old friend jolted him into action. As he listened to his friend recount moments spent with his grandchildren, friends and enjoying various…
Psychological safety and mental health in the workplace In the last article in our series covering The U.S. Tariff Effect, we reviewed health and safety considerations of a reduced workforce. This is a continuation of that article, focused on psychological safety and the mental health of the workplace. Provinces across Canada are recognizing the impact of psychological safety to protect against mental health issues and illness in the workplace that…
Data centres are a crucial part of modern digital infrastructure, facilitating cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and global data storage. As demand for data processing increases, the construction of large-scale data centres is accelerating. Canada, with its cool climate, vast and accessible land mass, and stable energy supply, has become a key location for these projects. However, the development and operation of data centres present unique challenges. These large, complex projects…
Following a decade of turbulent macroeconomic conditions in which top-line growth has faded away and global consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies’ shareholder returns have plunged from the top to the bottom quartile, the CPG industry has entered a period of reckoning. As inflation slows, the industry must take up an ambitious dual agenda to reimagine portfolios for growth and reinvigorate performance to enhance operational efficiency. As McKinsey has written previously in…
Pacific nation of Kiribati explores deep sea mining deal with Chinavia Islands Business on March 19, 2025 China's restaurants race to the bottom in deflation-hit economyby Laurie Chenvia Reuters on March 21, 2025 Switching off plants: Chinese copper smelters grapple with margin collapseby Lewis Jacksonvia Reuters on March 20, 2025 BYD aims to double overseas sales to 800,000 in 2025, chairman tells analystsvia Reuters on March 26, 2025 China’s rare…
Seyfarth Synopsis: On March 27, 2025, a federal district court in Chicago issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) blocking the Department of Labor from implementing key provisions from two of President Trump’s Executive Orders issued in January. Although the plaintiff sought a broad nationwide injunction against the entire federal government, the Chicago district court’s TRO only enjoins DOL. The Chicago district court's March 27 TRO comes just two weeks after…
Quick Hits The D.C. Circuit Court ruled that President Trump likely has the authority to remove NLRB member Gwynne Wilcox and MSPB member Cathy Harris without cause, staying previous reinstatement orders from lower courts. The ruling leaves the NLRB and MSPB without enough members to hear cases. The decision addresses significant constitutional questions regarding the president’s power to remove members of independent agencies, boards, and commissions and Congress’s authority to…
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice recently released its decision in Cox et al v Ball et al, 2025 ONSC 199, declining to grant summary judgment to a municipality and a pub arising out an assault by one hockey player on another during a local tournament. This decision highlights the difficulties sometimes faced in resolving intentional tort claims on a summary basis, notwithstanding the high bar that a plaintiff must…
Nearly 300 Stanford PhD students and postdocs gathered on campus earlier this month for an all-day exploration of life after academia – specifically, what non-faculty careers others have forged in industries including the arts, AI, data science, and more.Now celebrating its 10th year, the PhD Pathways program launched in 2016 to help doctoral students and postdocs learn about career options beyond academia, bringing industry leaders and Stanford PhD alums to…
Innovation Madness: The Ultimate Basketball Patent Bracket. 14 inventions. 1 champion. Who will cut down the net? | Gadgets, Gigabytes & Goodwill Blog Skip to content
In 2021, we published an article to celebrate the 30-year anniversary of the launch of the first exchange-traded fund (ETF) in Canada. At that time, the global economy was at a vulnerable point, navigating the uncertainty which came with the COVID-19 pandemic. ETFs played an important role in the overall stability and resilience of the Canadian markets, providing transparency, price discovery and liquidity to investors seeking some certainty. Fast-forward to 2025,…
March 2025For the first time since March 2022, surveyed executives foresee geopolitical instability as the top risk to companies’ growth over the next 12 months. In the latest McKinsey Global Survey on economic conditions, weak demand—which was the most-cited risk in the previous three quarters—is now the second-most-cited disruption, followed closely by changes in the trade environment and trade relationships. While private sector respondents remain more likely to expect improvement than…
Conducting workplace investigations into sexual harassment claims is challenging, and especially so across borders. Multinational organisations that implement robust, cross border investigation procedures can significantly lower their risk of facing disputes and legal actions. In this webinar, Seyfarth partners will explore managing sexual harassment claims in the Asia Pacific region, where diverse legal landscapes and cultural norms further complicate cross border investigations. Topics include: Regional nuances: Key similarities, differences, and…
On March 26, 2025, the city council of the City of Toronto (the City) unanimously adopted Mayor Chow’s 10-point plan (the Plan) to respond to U.S. tariffs. Two points come into contact with international trade considerations. Proposed measures First, procurement. The Plan proposes the following changes to the City’s procurement practices: Limiting bidding on certain City contracts to Canadian companies for values below approximately $350,000 for goods and services and…
So much can change in three months. In the December edition of our quarterly McKinsey Global Survey on economic conditions, respondents’ expectations for the global economy were largely stable with the previous quarter and more positive than negative. Now, amid a spate of policy shifts, uncertainty permeates views on the economy in the latest survey. Respondents are now equally likely to see geopolitical instability and changes in trade policy or relationships…
A decade of research into Latino entrepreneurs paints a picture of an innovative and resilient group of business owners who are a key driver of the U.S. economy.“Latino entrepreneurs are an important contributor to the growth of the U.S. entrepreneurial ecosystem,” says George Foster, a professor of accounting and management at Stanford Graduate School of Business and faculty director of the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative, which has just published the…
Registration changes for Ontario investment dealers, mutual fund dealers and futures commission merchants Effective April 1, 2025, the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) will delegate certain registration functions to the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO). The changes will affect firms registered in Ontario in one or more of the following categories, and the individuals acting on their behalf (collectively, the Delegated Categories): Investment dealer Mutual fund dealer1 Futures commission merchant The…
In my last column, I discussed the new reality that AI can think and reason at a remarkably high level. Someday we’ll look back and see this as an inflection point in the evolution of technology—a change that will profoundly impact how we think about, organize, and deploy cognitive labor. When I think about AI’s current abilities, I consider these five key cognitive tasks: perceiving, understanding, reasoning, executing, and creating. Looking…
28 March 2025By Antonin Bergeaud, Guzmán González-Torres Fernández, Vincent Labhard and Richard SellnerWe constantly hear of exciting new ways AI tools can help to tackle economic problems and the productivity gains they bring. However, benefits can only materialize when firms actually use AI.This post is part of a miniseries related to the ECB conference “The Transformative Power of AI”, on 1-2 April 2025, bringing together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. Learn…
On March 27, the Valdai Discussion Club Conference Hall in Moscow hosted a discussion titled “The Crisis of Growth in NATO or the End of Atlantic Unity?” The event was moderated by Timofei Bordachev, Professor at the National Research University Higher School of Economics and Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club. He noted that now the Transatlantic unity, which gave birth to the concept of the ‘Collective West’, has…
5 tips for navigating change with impact Implementing a Shared Service Centre is a major change that impacts people, processes, and culture. This guide shares five practical tips, from strong communication to people-focused planning, that can help leaders manage the transition smoothly. Learn how to align teams, transfer knowledge effectively, and build momentum for a successful, centralised model. Reading time: 3 minutes Implementing a Shared Service Centre (SSC) is a…
Into the Breach is the first law firm podcast exclusively devoted to reps and warranties insurance and the transactional risk markets. Hosted by Seyfarth partners Bryan M. O’Keefe and Gena B. Usenheimer, each week the hosts in their unique, buoyant style, interview leaders from the industry, and explore the latest developments, market trends, and news impacting RWI and transactional risk insurance. Listen and learn more about each episode of the…
The Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) is introducing key regulatory amendments aimed at simplifying and modernizing the certification process for insurance and mortgage brokerage representatives in Québec. These changes will streamline licensing requirements and enhance flexibility in the conduct of the probationary period for representatives in insurance of persons, group insurance of persons, damage insurance, claims adjustment and mortgage brokerage. The amendments, introduced through the Regulation to amend the Regulation…
Discover how Microsoft and Pearson are equipping learners with AI skills for the future. Over the past few years, companies around the world have seen a paradigm shift in how individuals consume content and attain new skills—changes that will only continue to accelerate and evolve in the AI era. A global IDC survey1 found that a lack of skilled workers is the biggest challenge for enterprises implementing AI technology within their…
In 2013, the state of Washington gave the aerospace company Boeing a massive subsidy package worth $8.7 billion, including tax breaks and reimbursements for worker training costs. That eye-popping price tag isn’t typical—the Boeing subsidy is believed to be the largest in U.S. history—but state subsidies have become more common over the last couple of decades, as government officials try to lure firms to set up shop in their area…
A just and inclusive society has long been a strength of European countries. The continent is a world leader in advancing social imperatives such as gender equality and, historically, socioeconomic mobility. Yet progress on the latter has stalled in recent years, limiting the economic growth that is vital for Europe’s competitiveness. Research shows that social mobility can accelerate productivity—including through greater workforce participation, better skills matching, higher consumer spending, fewer…
Artificial intelligence can improve intravenous nutrition for premature babies, a Stanford Medicine study has shown. The study, which published March 25 in Nature Medicine, is among the first to demonstrate how an AI algorithm can enable doctors to make better clinical decisions for sick newborns.The algorithm uses information in preemies’ electronic medical records to predict which nutrients they need and in what quantities. The AI tool was trained on data…
On 27 March 2025, Gaia’s control team at ESA’s European Space Operations Centre switched off the spacecraft’s subsystems and sent it into a ‘retirement orbit’ around the Sun.Though the spacecraft’s operations are now over, the scientific exploitation of Gaia’s data has just begun. Launched in 2013, Gaia has transformed our understanding of the cosmos by mapping the positions, distances, motions, and properties of nearly two billion stars and other celestial…
On March 26, 2025, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network’s (“FinCEN”) interim final rule (the “Interim Rule”) exempting domestic entities and U.S. persons from reporting beneficial ownership information (“BOI”) under the Corporate Transparency Act (the “CTA”) was published in the Federal Register. Summary of Changes U.S. companies and U.S. persons are no longer required to report BOI to FinCEN. Only foreign companies registered to do business in the U.S. are now…
Quick Hits Catherine Eschbach has been named director of OFCCP to “oversee its transition to its new scope of mission.” OFCCP will enforce EO 14173’s revocation of EO 11246, Eschbach said, stating that EO 11246 “had facilitated federal contractors adopting [diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)] practices out of step with the requirements” of civil rights laws. Contractors must unwind their EO 11246 compliance within ninety days of the issuance of…
Board diversity remains a key consideration in Canada despite changing views in the United States. Cross-listed issuers may want to exercise caution in their disclosure approach. Takeaways Proxy advisors, institutional investors and other stakeholders in the United States (U.S.) have rescinded or changed their policies for public companies with respect to diversity on boards and among senior management. To date, Canadian proxy voting guidelines published by proxy advisors and institutional…
In the dynamic world of sports, where every second counts, technologies such as cloud computing, AI, and real-time data analysis have emerged as pivotal forces for optimizing strategies and captivating audiences. Ahead of the 2025 NAB Show, we’re sharing how Microsoft is at the forefront of this transformation, partnering with sports organizations worldwide to integrate technology and gain a competitive edge. Technology integration opportunities in sports Microsoft technology helps drive…
The memorable evening, witnessed by over 2,000 spectators, set the perfect stage for the announcement of a new formal partnership between Cambridge University Association Football Club (CUAFC) and Cambridge United FC, strengthening the bond between the historic footballing institutions of the city.The women’s match opened the night in dramatic fashion, with Cambridge securing a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory. Despite trailing 1-0 at halftime, the Light Blues displayed resilience and attacking…
Priceless black gold The oil and oil products sector is more predictable and is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future: Russia supplies hydrocarbons to all Central Asian countries, while of these nations, only Kazakhstan has significant oil reserves (although it does not own most of the extracted oil). In 2024, oil and gas condensate production in the Republic of Kazakhstan amounted to 87.8 million tonnes, of which two thirds…
Quick Hits U.S. at-will employment is not common internationally; other countries require valid reasons and advance notice for termination. Statutory severance pay is mandatory in many countries, calculated based on length of service and salary, and non-negotiable. Additional benefits include accrued but unused vacation, pro-rata thirteenth-month salary, earned bonuses, and seniority premiums. Good cause termination requires specific procedures and evidence, making it challenging to avoid severance payments. Employers may want…