Clay Chandler here, filling in for Diane.
I have just returned to Hong Kong after an eventful week in New York City that began with the spectacular 2024 Fortune Global Forum, where I joined a panel of insightful speakers, including former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, former Secretary of Defense. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, International Monetary Fund First Deputy Managing Director Geetha Gopinath, and a panel of prominent global China experts.
A highlight of my experience at this year’s forum was my conversation with Danish architect Bjarke Ingels, one of the world’s most sought-after designers. New Yorkers know Bjarke as the genius behind VIA 57 West, nicknamed the “Court Scraper” (because it combines the density and verticality of a skyscraper with the communal space of a courtyard building). Adds) and The Spiral, a 66-story skyscraper in Hassan’s extraordinary courtyard that is home to Pfizer, HSBC, and TPG.
Bjarke’s firm, Bjarke Ingels Group (aka “BIG”), also played a key role in the long-running debate about redeveloping New York’s financial district in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks that destroyed the iconic Twin Towers. Has been paying. , 2001. It’s a neighborhood we at Fortune care about as our headquarters are just a short walk away. Fulton Street. In 2015, developer Silverstein Properties commissioned BIG to propose a structure for 2 World Trade Center, one of a handful of sites near “ground zero” of the 9/11 attacks, which Foster + Partners is from
BIG’s vision was widely praised. But when the site’s proposed anchor tenants, 21st Century Fox and News Corp. was released, so Silverstein dumped BIG and re-engaged Foster. The site has yet to roll out alternative anchors. Construction dates are missing.
Bjarke also talked about how BIG is collaborating with NASA and 3-D printed building company ICON to build structures on the lunar surface. The project will use solar-powered lasers to melt lunar obsidian into what Bjarke calls the equivalent of “dragon glass.” BIG aims to use the material to build structures for human habitation on the moon by 2032, before many of its ground buildings open. “We have projects on the moon that have tighter schedules than our projects on Earth,” Bjarke said. And BIG’s “moonshots” are combining technological breakthroughs with practical benefits on the ground.
Fortune will explore the many ways in which designers like Bjarke can spark innovation and add significant business value at our Brainstorm Design Conference, which will be held on December 5 at the luxurious MGM Cotai Resort in Macau. . Our theme this year is “Experiences in Experience”. Confirmed speakers include Gensler Co-CEO Elizabeth Brink, Ammunition Founder Robert Brunner, Universal Senior Director Bob Dennis, Rockwell Group Design Leader Andrew Lazzaro, SOM Cities and Climate Lead Peter Kindel, and more. Brainstorm Design, now in its sixth year, is one of Fortune’s most innovative conferences. This is by invitation only, but if you’d like to attend, please send me a note.
More news below.
Clay Chandler
Executive Editor, Asia
good luck
Important news
Amazon AI struggles with ‘latency’
According to an internal memo from earlier this month obtained by Fortune, Amazon is struggling to create an AI-based successor to its voice assistant Alexa. Employees have noticed that there is a long delay between asking the technology about something and the new Alexa providing an answer. The problem, known as tardiness, is a significant shortfall, employees said in the memo.
Trump’s FCC Pick Wants to End Law Protecting Social Media
Brandon Carr is a longtime opponent of Big Tech. He wants to end many of the protections that major social media platforms receive under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. This provision provides certain protections to online platforms from the legal consequences of third-party content posted on their sites.
Disturbed AI shopping transformation
In an exclusive interview with good luck On Monday, Perplexity AI CEO Arvind Srinivas explained that the company doesn’t actually know how its AI search engine ranks products over others when making recommendations to users. The interview comes as Perplexity AI announced new consumer-only tools that allow users to shop directly within the search engine.
Around the water cooler
Thomson Reuters CEO: What to expect from AI in business and government, with potential changes in US policy By Steve Hasker
A Donald Trump presidency could light a speculative fire under gold, sending the price to a fresh all-time high. By Christian Heitzner
The ‘Oracle of Wall Street’ says house prices need to drop by 20% to close the ‘race gap’. By Elena Boutros
The CEO of Red Lobster has a new favorite dish in China that he’s trying to revive. By Sydney Lake
Elon Musk’s endorsement of Treasury Secretary nominee has reportedly rubbed Trump’s people the wrong way By Chris Morris
This edition of CEO Daily was produced by Joey Abrams.
