Weekly 3x3: Global stocks surge. AI spending gets practical. Teens lean on chatbots.
My top reads in markets, tech, an AI research this week.
MARKET MOVES
Global stocks rally on US–China trade optimism | October 27 2025
Markets across the U.S. and Asia hit new highs as hopes grow of a truce in trade negotiations between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. Investors are betting that tariffs and export restrictions could ease — at least temporarily — helping restore confidence to global supply chains. While the rally is encouraging, underlying trade frictions remain unresolved, so volatility could return if talks stall. Financial Times
When market concentration is less extreme than you think | October 28 2025
A new Reuters analysis shows the U.S. market is only the fifth most concentrated among a dozen large economies, with the top ten stocks representing 34% of market cap. That’s still high, but it challenges the idea that “everything is just tech” — diversification runs deeper than the Magnificent Seven. Investors should recognize that even moderate concentration can amplify shocks, so monitoring sector exposure remains important. Reuters
Global Financial Stability Report flags asset imbalances | October 2025
The IMF warns that inflated valuations, heavy flows into non-bank financials, and emerging-market vulnerabilities are fuelling latent risk beneath the market rally. The report underscores that calm markets can mask systemic fragilities; careful positioning and risk assessment are still critical. IMF
TECH TALK
AI budgets refocus on real-world impact, not hype | October 31 2025
Gartner reports that enterprise AI spending is moving from flashy prototypes to measurable outcomes. Firms are shelving “proof of concept” projects in favour of cost-saving, customer-facing, and revenue-driving deployments. This signals that AI is transitioning from experimentation to operational execution, where ROI will start to separate leaders from laggards. Gartner
Teen boys using ‘personalised’ AI for therapy and romance | October 29 2025
A Guardian feature reveals that many teenage boys are turning to chatbots for emotional support, companionship, and even romantic exchanges. The trend highlights how AI is entering deeply personal aspects of life, raising questions for education, mental health, and digital wellbeing. The Guardian
Ireland to host 2,200+ international AI researchers | October 23 2025
More than 2,200 researchers will gather in Dublin this year for major multimedia and AI conferences, confirming Ireland’s growing role as a European research hub. The event demonstrates how AI innovation is globalizing, offering opportunities for cross-border collaboration and talent development. ADAPT Centre
RESEARCH RADAR
A Survey of AI Scientists: Surveying the Automatic Scientists and Research | October 27 2025
This meta-study tracks how AI systems are moving from research assistants to autonomous scientists — capable of forming hypotheses, running experiments, and writing papers. The evolution suggests that AI may soon accelerate scientific discovery at scales previously impossible, reshaping research workflows. arXiv
Universities Must Reclaim AI Research for the Public Good | October 30 2025
Stanford’s Institute for Human-Centered AI argues academia must regain control of fundamental AI research from commercial labs. Without this balance, commercial priorities could dominate AI development, potentially skewing technology toward profit rather than societal benefit. Stanford HAI
International AI Safety Report 2025: First Key Update | October 15 2025
A heavyweight coalition — including Yoshua Bengio, Geoffrey Hinton, and Stuart Russell — has issued a global update on AI safety. The report highlights that as AI capabilities accelerate, oversight and technical safeguards must keep pace to prevent systemic or unintended risks. arXiv