FTI Consulting News Bytes – 9 May 2025

FTI Consulting News Bytes

We start this week with the news that member states across the EU are looking to water down rules that require them to screen foreign investments in sensitive technologies such as AI or semiconductors. Sticking with the topic of AI, a recent survey finds that 29% of UK workers are quietly using AI in the workplace without disclosing it to their employers. Elsewhere, in enterprise news, Microsoft is shutting down Skype, whilst in food delivery, DoorDash has gobbled up Deliveroo. Finally, Japan’s distinctive, beautifully animated cartoons – anime – are increasingly capturing attention, but answering the question whether the economics of its growth are “fair”, is another matter. 

This week’s news

The enemy of my enemy is my friend

National capitals across the EU are pushing to weaken rules that would require them to screen foreign investments in sensitive technologies such as AI or semiconductors. This is according to the latest draft compromise text on the review of the rules governing foreign direct investment (FDI) screening seen by POLITICO. Whilst the original Commission proposal had rules that were drafted amid fears of Chinese takeovers, POLITICO suggest that the EU are now more worried about corporate acquisitions by US companies. arguing that Trumpian power has left the EU executive concerned. There is an urgency around the proposal, too – “we cannot afford discussing this for months and months,” said Damien Levie, who heads the FDI screening unit at the Commission’s trade department, citing a changing global security environment in which, for example, the US is no longer “unequivocally” on the EU’s side. The draft text is still subject to change before countries adopt their final positions.

(A)I must not tell lies 

The Times covers new research from Ivanti, a US-based enterprise software company, which revealed that 29% of UK workers are quietly using AI in the workplace, without disclosing it to their employers. As adoption is rising fast, nearly half – 49% – of UK employees reported using AI at work in 2025, up from just 32% the year before. The research also shed light on an emerging psychological impact – about one in four (27%) admitted experiencing “AI-fuelled impostor syndrome”, saying they did not want people to question their ability. 28%  of employees said they worried they could lose their jobs if their bosses found out they were using AI. Another 38%, however, said they liked the “secret advantage.”

Microsoft hangs up on Skype

On Monday this week, Skype users hung up for the last time on the communication service, as owner Microsoft is focusing on its alternative calling service, Teams. Writing on the news, The Washington Posts suggests that the decision, announced in March, caps a remarkable 21-year run for a software that for “many embodied the early values of the open internet: It was mostly free, had a user-friendly interface and made it easier for people to connect across the world.” Whilst the service had over 300 million users in its prime, by 2023 the number of daily users had dropped to 36 million.

Deliveroo dashes across the pond

BBC News reports that San-Francisco based DoorDash has agreed to Deliveroo in a £2.9bn deal, exemplifying the differing fortunes and attractions of US and UK stock markets. Comparing the two companies, the outlet notes that when Deliveroo listed its shares in London, DoorDash was worth five times as much as its UK counterpart. But, four years later DoorDash was worth 35 times as much. Reflecting more broadly on the state of the UK stock market, the outlet contends that companies are increasingly “shunning” the LSE in favour of a US listing. citing higher valuations, the US being home to the world’s most successful and profitable companies, and ultimately an “old-fashioned lack of demand.” How much the government’s so-called “Edinburgh Reforms”, designed to make listing in the UK more attractive, work to improve the landscape, is yet to be seen. 

The economics of anime

The Financial Times asks whether anime is set to be the next global IP gold mine. Inspired by Studio Ghibli, which produced global classics such as Spirited Away and My Neighbour Totoro,  OpenAI’s latest image generation application unleashed a “Ghiblification” of social media profiles across platforms. It shows Japanese soft power is rising, but the economics, some argue, are not fair. The global market for anime is expected to almost double from $31.2bn in 2023 to $60.1bn by 2030. But, Japanese studios and the country’s government are increasingly concerned that financial value is disappearing overseas. For the gaming sector, 90% of sales are captured by Japanese companies, but for anime studios, the figure is less than 10%. This dynamic is compounded by the fact that traditional anime is punishingly expensive to produce, and studios have faced criticism for poor pay and exploitative working practices. So, though the product is selling and the world is quickly awakening to Japanese cultural content, questions remain on how the financial proceeds are distributed. 

Top Tweets of the Week

• Mark Gurman, Managing Editor at Bloomberg: Apple has filed a motion for a pause on last week’s ruling on the App Store that it must stop collecting commission on payments made on the web/outside the App Store.
• Erin Woo, Social Media Reporter at The Information: Google is continuing its strategy of cutting 100s of employees at a time, rather than one big headline-grabbing layoff. This time, it’s around 200 employees in the global business organization, Google’s ad sales unit. w @MilesKruppa and @catherineperlo1 https://t.co/8JMZwb9wqH
• Tom Warren, Senior Editor at The Verge: the FTC has lost its appeal to stop Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard deal that already happened. The deal went through in 2023 after a court denied the FTC’s request for an injunction. An appeals court today upheld that denial https://t.co/9xf1Y02Co3
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Number of the week

€500 The amount, according to WIRED, the EU will invest as part of its Choose Europe for Science program, aimed at attracting researchers and scientists to the European Union – especially those from the United States. number of days US President Donald Trump has been in office this week, according to City AM.