Best of Business

No-one knows what the future of AI has in store for us, and one journalist has raised concerns about the impact of the technology.
When investigative journalist Karen Hao started looking into Sam Altman’s OpenAI, she had hopes for the technology, but extensive research and unparalleled access to those closest to the AI arms race left her with a different view.
Her work in this space has made her one of the foremost tech journos covering AI. She’s been listed in Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People.
She's heading to New Zealand for the Auckland Writers Festival with her book EMPIRE OF AI: Inside the Reckless Race for Total Domination.
"My criticism of companies that use this kind of rhetoric is that they are essentially just leveraging the lack of a shared definition as a way to just hype up their technologies."
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The world's leading tech giants - Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet and Meta - all recently reported their latest earnings.
All of these companies surpassed investor expectations, but one clearly came out on top.
Fisher Funds expert Sam Dickie explained further.
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A former senior economist at the Reserve Bank is calling releasing details of who voted which way on the Official Cash Rate a 'baby step'.
It's been agreed by the Minister of Finance and the Monetary Policy Committee that vote details will be released publicly if committee members are unable to come to consensus on the OCR.
The charter comes into effect today.
Michael Reddell says it's fairly rare for the committee not to come to a consensus, but it's a good step.
"So I'm not criticising it, it's just that it's not a particularly bold move."
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Hopes some relief for businesses will be on the cards in a public meeting to discuss the future of Mount Maunganui this evening.
Mauao has been closed to the public ever since a landslide killed six holiday-makers almost 100 days ago.
The Mt Maunganui Ratepayers, Residents and Retailers Association expects discussions tonight about allowing one route to the top of the mount.
President Michael O'Neill says businesses rely on the patronage of people using the mount.
He explained the same goes for people using the campground, hot pools, and boat ramp - all of which are closed.
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Confidence for small business owners, with sales continuing to grow.
New Xero small business data shows business sales rose 3.9% in the March quarter – March alone rising 5.5%.
ABC Business Sales Managing Director Chris Small told Mike Hosking it's been a tough 12 months, with many weaker businesses weeded out, leaving high quality small businesses in the market.
He says data doesn't reflect the current climate, given two out of three months were not impacted by the war in Iran.
Small says volume of transactions were up 10% and dollars invested in small business were up 16% – all with a positive mindset until March kicked in.
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