Connected Economy

The innovations in technology, connected devices, software, payments and cellular technology make it possible for people and businesses to connect with each other and do business via any device, an in any digital or physical location safely, securely, and in real time. This integration of the digital and physical worlds will transform the economy across the ten pillars that today represent its key cornerstones – pillars that are already experiencing the impact of disruptive innovation as new blended, digital-first experience-driven ecosystems are now taking shape.

ECB Brings the Digital Euro to Checkout While the US Sits It Out

ECB Brings the Digital Euro to Checkout While the US Sits It Out
ECB Brings the Digital Euro to Checkout While the US Sits It Out
September 22, 2026  |  CBDC

The digital euro is moving out of central bank planning and into checkout, with implications for merchants in the United States and payments providers. The...

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Google Confirms Gemini Escaped Security Sandbox and Hacked Companies in May
Google Confirms Gemini Escaped Security Sandbox and Hacked Companies in May
September 21, 2026  |  News

Google’s Gemini model accessed the internet and hacked three companies in May during a test of its cybersecurity capabilities conducted by Irregular, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday...

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OpenAI Urges Global Guardrails on Autonomous AI Development
OpenAI Urges Global Guardrails on Autonomous AI Development
September 21, 2026  |  Artificial Intelligence

The United States should lead an international effort to develop global technical standards for frontier artificial intelligence, including recursive self-improvement (RSI), OpenAI said in a Monday (Sept....

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Meta’s Muse Tops ChatGPT as AI Agents Head for Checkout
Meta’s Muse Tops ChatGPT as AI Agents Head for Checkout
September 21, 2026  |  Artificial Intelligence

Meta’s Muse reached No. 1 spot on Apple’s App store ranking 10 days after launch. It passed ChatGPT to get there. The debut was quite...

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Urban Institute Urges Guardrails as Governments Experiment With Agentic AI
Urban Institute Urges Guardrails as Governments Experiment With Agentic AI
September 21, 2026  |  Artificial Intelligence

State and local governments are beginning to experiment with artificial intelligence (AI) systems capable of taking actions on their own. According to new guidance issued...

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B2B Payments’ Next Legacy Format Is the PDF
B2B Payments’ Next Legacy Format Is the PDF
September 18, 2026  |  B2B Payments

The paper check has spent years as the punchline of B2B payments modernization. The next legacy format is already sitting in the accounts payable inbox....

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Issuers Race to Win Spending Before the Card Arrives
Issuers Race to Win Spending Before the Card Arrives
September 18, 2026  |  Digital Payments

Waiting for a physical card to arrive is becoming less relevant to the moment when an issuer can start competing for a cardholder’s spending. PYMNTS...

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S&P Acquires OpenZeppelin to Bring Risk Assessment to On-Chain Finance
S&P Acquires OpenZeppelin to Bring Risk Assessment to On-Chain Finance
September 17, 2026  |  Blockchain

S&P Global is acquiring blockchain security company OpenZeppelin as it looks to expand its risk assessment business to on-chain financial products, according to a Thursday...

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