Thomson Reuters Foundation

For too long, media freedom has been positioned as a laudable aspiration rather than a real priority, with strong but often fragmented evidence of its contribution to economic stability, national security and information integrity. That’s why a new report, The Value of Journalism, is critical and timely in revealing the undeniable value of journalism for societies and individuals.

Major sporting events bring global attention – and with it, renewed scrutiny of the human rights risks they can carry. Ahead of this year’s FIFA World Cup tournament, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have raised concerns over immigration enforcement, media freedom, and discrimination affecting LGBTQ+ players and fans travelling to host cities. These concerns echo those documented after the 2022 World Cup.

Just yesterday we saw Reporter’s Without Borders’ annual index highlight the dire situation for press freedom globally, with most countries being categorised as “difficult” or “very serious”. The cancellation of RightsCon is live evidence of an escalating crackdown on freedom of expression around the world. Safe spaces for human rights defenders and journalists to gather and share experiences and expertise are becoming fewer and further between.

Jump to: According to a report by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), most countries worldwide are witnessing a decline in democracy, with press freedom seeing a sharp fall – its most consequential decrease in the last 50 years. A weakened independent media sector diminishes access to accurate and impartial information, which reduces the public’s ability to make informed decisions.

Without workforce data, companies can’t manage supply chain risks. Discover how workforce transparency protects workers and drives responsible business. Millions of workers around the world are trapped in forced labour and adverse workforce conditions. Companies can’t manage workforce risks they can’t measure. Investors demand comparable, detailed workforce disclosures. Workforce data is essential for compliance, resilience, and long-term value.

The annual WDI global findings report on workforce issues, drawing on data from almost 3,000 companies. With millions of workers in their operations and supply chains, multinational companies are critical to driving responsible business practices worldwide.

The challenges confronting independent journalism right now are not incremental. They are structural, accelerating, and in some cases existential. Gen-AI is upending decades-old business models, while press freedom is being eroded through tactics that are increasingly hard to detect. The conversations at this year’s International Journalism Festival reflected an industry at a genuine inflection point. Nevertheless, I ultimately left Perugia feeling more inspired than sobered.

Three key shifts are reshaping what ‘human rights in tech’ means in practice for companies. For much of the past decade, technology governance has been dominated by high-level ethical principles. But these alone are no longer sufficient. Today, responsible AI adoption demands strong implementation and accountability mechanisms. Regulators, courts and civil society have been framing technology harms as potential human rights violations rather than technical failures or unintended side effects.

A visitor checks laptops during the opening day of Madrid’s International Data Processing, Multimedia and Communications SIMO Fair November 7, 2006. REUTERS/Victor Fraile (SPAIN) The Thomson Reuters Foundation has released its findings on the global corporate adoption of AI, based on the AI Company Data Initiative (AICDI) – the world’s largest dataset on how companies are using AI.

The world’s largest dataset on corporate AI adoption: 100,000 data points, 2,972 companies, 11 sectors, 6 regions. Across the global economy, companies are embedding AI into their products, services and operations at a speed that is outpacing the governance frameworks designed to keep it in check. The result is a widening transparency gap – one that creates risk for businesses, workers, investors and society as a whole.