Alexander Kraus

Partner, Metis Strategy; Perpetually curious about technology, international affairs, data & science, and the human enterprise.
**OPINIONS ARE MY OWN**

[Alexander Kraus @AlexK_DigStrat]

While this ‘technology sovereignty’ or #digitalsovereignty push is largely fueled by political uncertainty, it should become part of every org’s risk mitigation, diversification, and biz value assessment. The FAANG+ oligopoly is constituting a true sourcing/ops risk challenge.

[Financial Times @FT]

EU pushes for ‘tech sovereignty’ to cut reliance on US https://t.co/4YOb0f6CBq

[Alexander Kraus @AlexK_DigStrat]

@FT While the reasons underlying this decision may be multi-faceted, I’d like to believe that some of it has to do with #ResponsibleAI, values, and safeguards

[Alexander Kraus @AlexK_DigStrat]

Data underscores criticality of social and #softskills in the age of #AI.

‘ …now more than ever our economy rewards broad skillsets: team players, problem solvers, good communicators and creative thinkers.’

[Financial Times @FT]

Counter to the prevailing view, soft skills more than quantitative competency have seen the biggest rewards in the labour market over recent years, writes John Burn-Murdoch. https://t.co/1gRGjMeVwJ

[Alexander Kraus @AlexK_DigStrat]

‘…boom in demand for people who — while mathematically skilled — are primarily distinguished by their aptitude in using these skills to work closely with others in finding creative solutions to complex and multi-faceted problems.’

Criticality of human skills in the Age of AI

[Financial Times @FT]

Counter to the prevailing view, soft skills more than quantitative competency have seen the biggest rewards in the labour market over recent years, writes John Burn-Murdoch. https://t.co/1gRGjMeVwJ

[Alexander Kraus @AlexK_DigStrat]

In addition to possibly being executive overreach, to counter China’s emerging lead in the global AI race, this may backfire and undermine #ResponsibleAI in the long-term. The #Magnificent7 may consider this ROI for cozying up to the Trump Administration but it may be short-lived

[The Washington Post @washingtonpost]

Breaking news: The Trump administration is drafting an executive order that would direct the Justice Department to sue states that pass laws regulating artificial intelligence, according to a copy reviewed by The Post. https://t.co/vJZkcZpsVV

[Fast Company @FastCompany]

Microsoft's annual digital threats report reveals how foreign adversaries are adopting AI to weaponize the internet as a tool for espionage and deception. https://t.co/GONtKcZGEV

[Alexander Kraus @AlexK_DigStrat]

“…market correction of the same magnitude as the dotcom crash could wipe out over $20trn in wealth for American households, equivalent to roughly 70% of American GDP…global fallout …Foreign investors could face wealth losses exceeding $15trn, or about 20% of the world’s GDP

[The Economist @TheEconomist]

“Though technological innovation is undeniably reshaping industries and increasing productivity, there are good reasons to worry that the current rally may be setting the stage for another painful market correction,” writes @GitaGopinath in a guest essay https://t.co/5HBl9IB6Uj

[FT Opinion @ftopinion]

The mounting pressure on bond markets - The Big Read https://t.co/2pziP3HXi7

[Peter Berezin @PeterBerezinBCA]

Goldman raises its 12-month recession probability from 20% to 35%.

[Friedrich Merz @_FriedrichMerz]

Dear Volodymyr @zelenskyyua, we stand with #Ukraine in good and in testing times. We must never confuse aggressor and victim in this terrible war. (FM)

[Alexander Kraus @AlexK_DigStrat]

Presumed incoming head of the new German government, @_FriedrichMerz , references @Davos conversation with @Microsoft’s @satyanadella that German #Mittelstand sits on a treasure trove of #data that - if used with #AI - would be an accelerator of German economic prowess

[Friedrich Merz @_FriedrichMerz]

#Merzrede beim Wahlkampfabschluss von CDU und CSU in München https://t.co/SOSYTiDnek

[Alexander Kraus @AlexK_DigStrat]

@elonmusk Let’s see the data, @elonmusk @DOGE. Also while all fraud should be fought, a $28 trillion GDP can tolerate more than a $80k household, which is why we need the CFPB.

[United Nations Geneva @UNGeneva]

“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.”

- Elie Wiesel, @NobelPrize laureate and Holocaust survivor

#MondayMotivation
#HolocaustRemembranceDay

[Alexander Kraus @AlexK_DigStrat]

#DeepSeek economics, if confirmed, are compelling but the new frontrunner of AI tools comes at a price and with its own human made limitations:

We tried out DeepSeek. It works well, until we asked it about Tiananmen Square and Taiwan https://t.co/3EyKuubO1d

[Alexander Kraus @AlexK_DigStrat]

The AI race continues with the ROI and value proposition of AI becoming the key battleground; fact or fiction, DeepSeek has already disrupted the AI marketplace and wiped out close to a trillion of market caps in a day.
#SputnikMoment #AIRace #ROIAI

[Marc Andreessen 🇺🇸 @pmarca]

Deepseek R1 is AI's Sputnik moment.

[Andrew Ng @AndrewYNg]

Today's "DeepSeek selloff" in the stock market -- attributed to DeepSeek V3/R1 disrupting the tech ecosystem -- is another sign that the application layer is a great place to be. The foundation model layer being hyper-competitive is great for people building applications.

[Alexander Kraus @AlexK_DigStrat]

@_FriedrichMerz Die klare Absage an eine Koalition mit der AfD ist wichtig und erfrischend auch wenn der Beifall im Saal dabei auffallend leiser ist. Hoffentlich erklärt er wie die Agenda 2030 auch ohne das zZt illusorische Wirtschaftswachstum von 2% realisiert werden kann.

[Alexander Kraus @AlexK_DigStrat]

The exec order "treats private-sector advances in #AI as national assets that need to be protected [by intel agencies] from spying or theft by foreign adversaries..."

Biden Administration Outlines Government ‘Guardrails’ for A.I. Tools https://t.co/2l22CSFboO

[Alexander Kraus @AlexK_DigStrat]

AI is now (more) officially a capability on the world’s battlefields. While standards & players are different, the idea to use emerging capabilities deliberately & before they are perfect applies to the corporate & consumer world as well. #AI #MVP #innovate

[Colin Demarest @demarest_colin]

The White House's AI messaging clarifies what's fair game — and what's out of bounds. A lack of guidance actually stifled innovation.

"We could have the best team but lose because we didn't put it on the field."

@axios https://t.co/mmYmmoxyYt

[Alexander Kraus @AlexK_DigStrat]

The 40 year old spreadsheet tool continues to run and influence businesses worldwide

Why Microsoft Excel won’t die https://t.co/jk4D8I21pj from @TheEconomist