As the trade war escalates, Hence launches an AI ‘advisor’ to help companies manage risk

Summary

President Donald Trump’s tariffs have underscored the increasing geopolitical risk that almost all businesses now face. As the situation continues to shift with Trump’s unpredictable deal-making, it’s also becoming clear how challenging it is for companies, nonprofits, consultants, and lawyers to keep up with the rapid day-to-day changes. “We are drowning in trade updates every hour of every day,” Matthew Oresman, London managing partner of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, a global law firm, told TechCrunch. The firm, whose clients span multinationals and high-net-worth individuals, as well as companies in tech, energy, and AI, is one of the first customers for London-based startup Hence AI’s new software product, Hence Global. Hence Global uses AI to help organizations monitor geopolitical and business risk. The tool does two things. First, it helps companies of any size track risk, and it advises them on actions they can take to mitigate that risk. Second, it helps service providers, like consulting and law firms, generate meaningful analysis about the world for their clients. Sean West, CEO and co-founder of Hence AI (formerly Hence Technologies), said to think of Hence Global as “an AI-powered business advisor that’s riding alongside you.” At only $1,500 per year for the base product, Hence is far more affordable than your typical consultant, argued West. “We want to democratize access to this information,” West told TechCrunch in an exclusive interview, noting that organizations like startups and NGOs can’t afford to call their lawyers every time they have a question about exposure or spend half a million dollars on a consulting contract. “Big companies know how to buy expensive advice, and the richest people will always talk to the smartest people, and they’ll pay for them,” West continued. “But most of the market can actually be served by technology.” West previously served as global deputy CEO of geopolitical advisory firm Eurasia Group and recently publishe...