Business

Demand for skills linked to so-called AI agents has surged across Europe, according to new data from freelance marketplace Malt. At VivaTech 2026, CEO Vincent Huguet tells FRANCE 24 how companies are racing to hire AI talent, why demand is spreading beyond the tech sector and what this means for the future of work.

As the war in Ukraine took centre stage at the G7 summit in the French town of Evian, US President Donald Trump said Moscow should make peace with Kyiv and suggested that the US could bring back sanctions on Russian oil, now that the Strait of Hormuz is expected to reopen. Also in the segment: the iconic BHV department store in Paris has announced it will end its partnership with ultra-fast fashion giant Shein, as it changes ownership. 

Ahead of his arrival in the French Alps for a G7 summit, US President Donald Trump said in a media interview that the US had "no choice" but to impose 100 percent tariffs on French wines if Paris didn't scrap its digital services tax on tech firms. French President Emmanuel Macron has already ruled out dropping the tax, which brings hundreds of millions of euros into state coffers annually. We take a closer look.

Expectations are high for the IPO of SpaceX. The company – which includes rockets, satellites and AI units – could become one of the most valuable in the world following its market launch on Friday. Founder Elon Musk is set to retain near-total control of SpaceX, with 85 percent of the voting rights. Igor Pejic, tech investing strategist and author of the book "Tech Money", says Musk's personal influence is likely to draw in more investors – but the company is overvalued at $1.75 trillion.   

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in Mexico this Thursday, we take a look at the tournament’s expected economic impact – both globally and on host countries. But the real winner, it seems, is FIFA, with record revenues forecast at $11 billion. Also in this edition, markets react to a fresh flare-up in violence in the Strait of Hormuz, and SpaceX faces a lawsuit from an environmental group ahead of its blockbuster market debut this Friday.

Wall Street is counting down to what could be the biggest market debut in history, with SpaceX preparing to go public. The IPO is expected to value the company at $1.75 trillion and make founder Elon Musk the world's first trillionaire. Also, US inflation has surged to its highest level in three years, driven by rising energy prices since the start of the war with Iran. President Donald Trump has hailed the figures as "great".

The 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico is on track to be the most expensive one ever for match-going fans. The cheapest general sale tickets for the final are four times as expensive as they were for the final in Qatar in 2022, and represent only a small proportion of total seats. We look at the reasons for this surge in prices. Also in this edition: solar power overtakes coal in the US, in spite of Donald Trump's policies. 

The EU has ordered Meta to grant rival AI chatbots free access to its WhatsApp platform within five working days, while it completes its antitrust investigation into the company. Meta says it will appeal, accusing the EU of "regulatory overreach". Meanwhile, Brussels hits back at Apple after the iPhone maker blamed the EU's Digital Marketing Act for its decision to delay the rollout of its new Siri AI in Europe. 

The maker of ChatGPT, OpenAI, has kicked off the process of selling its shares on public markets by submitting a confidential filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday. The AI startup is looking to capitalise on its dominant position on the AI chatbot market in order to boost its financing needs. Also in this edition: Chinese exports continued to grow in May in spite of the war in Iran. Plus a new report suggests another retirement age hike in France.

Anthropic, the firm behind AI assistant Claude, submitted a confidential filing to go public with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday. The firm, valued at close to a trillion dollars, could make its market debut by the end of the year as it sees a surge in interest for its range of AI products. Also in this edition: as France welcomes new data centre investments, we see what's driving that interest and what impact it could have on local communities.