Opinion Pieces
The Case for Regulating Generative AI Through Common Law
Project Syndicate, 2024 (with Angela Zhang)
"The European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act could impede the development of AI technologies, which depends on the availability of human-generated content as training data. By contrast, case-by-case adjudication could prove to be a more effective mechanism for tackling the myriad challenges posed by emerging technologies."
No Easy Exit from Zero-COVID
Project Syndicate, 2022 (with Angela Huyue Zhang)
(reprinted at South China Morning Post, Japan Times, Australian Financial Review, etc.)
"China’s exit from zero-Covid poses huge logistical challenges and health risks, but its centralised system of governance offers some advantages
During its years of economic reform, centralised planning allowed China to open up city by city, gradually building confidence and containing risks"
Apple cannot turn blind eye to abuse at its China factories
Financial Times (Letter), 2022
"Apple has a responsibility to ensure its contract manufacturers treat their workers with dignity.
Coordination with contract manufacturers, like Foxconn, must be improved to ensure compensation and living standards for workers. Apple should also secure medical resources from local governments."
Fix the Financing of Supply Chains
Think at London Business School, 2022 (with Christopher Chen and Nitish Jain)
"As we enter an era of more supply volatility and rising financing costs, we need to work harder to better understand and manage the global supply chain.
Healthy financial flows in supply chains have become more important than ever for local and global economies"
Inventory Flow
The Economist (Letter to Editors), 2022
``in times of frequent supply-chain disruptions, companies respond by increasing inventory levels, and that such stockpiling could lead to higher volatility in corporate earnings. Recent government regulations, such as the eu’s Late Payment Directives, that limit the duration of trade credit add another layer of complication. Although such regulations are intended to alleviate the financial burden on smaller businesses, our research has shown that as trade credit is an indispensable source for companies to finance their inventory, simply limiting payment terms could result in more frequent out-of-stock situations and lower retail revenue.
We must prepare for the challenging environment that companies face in financing a healthy level of inventory. That means more innovative financing mechanisms, such as technology-enabled inventory financing, and supply-chain finance solutions that allow companies in a supply chain to share their working capital more efficiently."