A study conducted in the UK found that in 2017, 35% of renters were aged between 25 - 34 years old. Despite the media often portraying the struggle of young people to enter the property market without the help of family, it is actually all demographics that are being affected by the growing ability to own a home. 

With more renters in the market, individuals and families across all generations are struggling to ‘set their roots’ in their home. For instance, families are under stress as many landlords don’t offer ongoing lease security, meaning their children could be separated from their friends as a result of a forced property move. On the other hand, older generations are often not considered for mortgages because of the likelihood of reduced fund inflows in retirement years, resulting in more shared housing situations. 

These issues are pertinent to the need for an understanding of both public and private sector housing demands. Better management tools are needed to hold landlords to account and data gathered on how well people know their rights when it comes to renting in the private sector. Through the improved provision of informational resources, the monitoring of landlord behaviours and the establishment of affordable housing options, we may see a reduction in the levels of current housing stress.

Private renting sector by age of household reference person (%), 2007 and 2017, UK

Source: https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/articles/ukprivaterentedsector/2018

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With the growing maturity of AI and machine learning, it is only a matter of time before people start considering the implications of using these technologies in broader society. This short film by the BBC explores the idea that, for argument's sake, AI could replace governments. The argument to this point is that, unlike the humans who run governments around the world, AI is not privy to scandals, corruption and popularity contests which popularise short-term solutions at the expense of long-term, sustainable policy in the areas that really matter, like climate change. These decisions are based off impartial facts and data. 

However, while we rejoice in the thought of Donald Trump being replaced by an all wise and knowing AI bot, it’s important to note that the computational powers of these technologies stop at the point where, arguably, humanity starts. That is, it can measure the costs of hospital treatment for an elderly person after they retire, and objectively conclude that this is a poor investment for the government, but it cannot measure the value of that life based on the opinions of those closest to them. Hence, AI cannot differentiate between what’s right and wrong. 

The thought experiment concludes by informing us that despite the powers of AI, they are built by humans and therefore have a tendency to be exposed to human biases.  Resulting, these biases could perpetuate existing flaws in political and societal systems, making things worse, rather than better. Despite this, it’s important that we understand the powers of AI and how its integration in systems and processes can aid human decision making in traditional, and new ways, so that we are empowered, rather than suffocated, by it.

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 This fascinating and thought provoking article discusses human consciousness and the reality that we are all simply data processing machines without matter beyond our physical presences and structures. 

Despite the harrowing nature of the message entailed, the author does shed some light, drawing on a physicist’s work which suggests there is a state of matter called perceptronium - atoms arranged so they can process information and consequently give rise to subjectivity. 

Weirdly enough, this hypothesis suggests, through the use of dense mathematics, that devices like thermostats and DVD players might in fact have consciousness or be privy to having a subjective self! 

With recent exposures like the Cambridge Analytica scandle, we’ve seen how easy it can be to manipulate people with technology. Although theirs is a dark story, it really does highlight the power of understanding the data you have about your customers and utilising the tools and techniques for talking to them about relevant topics in a timely manner. In the case of consciousness, it could entail the empowering of people through their own data, creating greater purpose and pushing the envelope to discover what we truly value and desire.

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 China is moving on to social crediting systems for businesses, scraping massive amounts of data and grading them and the people who run them. 

This has broader implications for global companies, particularly those from America, who operate business in China. The Chinese capital will soon be black marking businesses who don’t fall in line with its regulations. As an example, “United, Delta and American (airlines) received letters last year from Chinese aviation officials saying their social credit score could be hit unless their websites labeled Macau, Hong Kong and Taiwan as part of China”.

Many people believe that the social crediting system is a huge violation of the privacy of the Chinese people. It uses facial recognition technology along with a vast array of other data points including criminal history, credit ratings, and previous jobs to score a person. Interestingly, experts have come out to say that the purpose of grading businesses has a number of benefits. Despite its authoritarian presence, Beijing has struggled with controlling businesses on a national scale, with smaller government arms protecting successful businesses from state regulations. With the social crediting system, it is said that businesses who are large pollutants, exploit labour laws and exercise other problem behaviours will be brought into line. 

The question remains as to whether the use of these data sources will create more benefits or problems, with some people losing employment over affiliations with family members or other problem individuals. On top of this, once fully established, some people believe it will be used as a tool to enhance trade wars in order to get an edge over international competitors. 

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 This article firstly showcases an interactive map of Sydney’s suburbs, highlighting an alarming growth rate for many inner-city suburbs. As a result of a mismatch between tenant demands and the supply of affordable housing, this trend is seeing a huge number of young families and immigrant populations being priced out of these inner-city suburbs. Of the worst affected, Camden will need to increase its dwelling requirements by over 134% at the current rate, with people attracted to its proximity to local transport lines and relatively affordable prices. 

This has huge relevance for not only the future of Sydney siders, but also for the future of businesses. With well-established, disgruntled neighbourhoods fighting against the densification of their suburbs, businesses and entrepreneurs will need to find ways to maintain livelihoods whilst accommodating for far greater suburban populations. A greater reliance on the sharing economy will be necessary to optimise resources and create more efficient urban centres. The government will need to work with development authorities to analyse housing data in a way that produces fewer mismatches, encourages more cultural diversity and considers the broader property needs of residents, rather than those with the most cash to splash. 

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