Tech

Tech giants continue layoffs after “year of efficiency”

Published

1 year ago

January 17, 2024

Ahron Young

Recent workforce reductions at Google and Amazon have indicated that the tech giants are poised to continue cutting jobs in 2024 as they channel substantial investments into generative AI technologies.

Industry analysts and experts anticipate that these layoffs will be more targeted and of a smaller scale this year, with companies racing to gain ground in the AI race opting for such measures to offset their substantial expenditures in the field.

Ernst & Young initiates layoffs, cuts dozens of US partners

Alphabet recently hinted at this trend as it announced its intentions to invest in its “biggest priorities” while laying off approximately a thousand employees across various divisions, including its voice assistant unit and teams responsible for Pixel and Fitbit.

Even its advertising business faced cuts, with reports of hundreds of job reductions surfacing.

Amazon also joined the layoffs wave, releasing several hundred employees in its streaming and studio operations.

The company saw similar cutbacks in its Twitch live-streaming platform and Audible audiobook unit, as reported by media outlets.

In the month of January alone, the tech industry has seen over 7,500 employees let go, according to tracking website Layoffs.fyi.

D.A. Davidson & Co analyst Gil Luria emphasized, “No company wants to get left behind by the AI revolution and they are all making sure they have these capabilities and are prioritizing them, even when it is at the expense of other initiatives.”

Both Google and Amazon are aggressively investing in their AI endeavors. Google, aiming to close the gap with Microsoft in the AI race, unveiled its long-awaited Gemini model last month. Simultaneously, Amazon is developing a model codenamed “Olympus” to compete with OpenAI’s GPT-4 model, the maker of ChatGPT.

Nevertheless, the scale of these layoffs is expected to be significantly smaller compared to the massive workforce reductions witnessed in the previous year, thanks to a more stable economic climate that has prompted increased tech spending.

Tech

Nvidia to build AI supercomputers in the U.S. for first time

Nvidia invests $500 billion in U.S. AI supercomputers, shifting production to Texas to strengthen supply chains and boost domestic growth amid rising tariffs and national tech pressures.

Published

3 days ago

April 18, 2025

Veronica Dudo

Nvidia invests $500 billion in U.S. AI supercomputers, shifting production to Texas to strengthen supply chains and boost domestic growth amid rising tariffs and national tech pressures.

Nvidia to build AI supercomputers in the U.S. for the first time — a $500 billion move that could redefine the global tech industry.

With new tariffs on imports from China and Taiwan, the chip giant is shifting production to Texas, partnering with Foxconn and Wistron.

Nvidia says the decision will strengthen its supply chain and boost domestic economic growth.

The announcement comes amid growing pressure to secure national tech infrastructure and reduce reliance on Asia. How will this impact jobs, prices, and America’s AI ambitions?

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Tech

‘Stuck in the past’: Has Apple lost its edge?

Apple, once an innovator, faces criticism for stale updates and designs, prompting comparisons to 1980s IBM and calls for Tim Cook’s departure.

Published

5 days ago

April 16, 2025

Ahron Young

Apple, once an innovator, faces criticism for stale updates and designs, prompting comparisons to 1980s IBM and calls for Tim Cook’s departure.

Apple, once a symbol of innovation, is now under fire for uninspiring product updates.

The headline “Has Apple lost its edge? Critics say it’s stuck in the past” captures growing frustration over recycled designs and underwhelming features.

From the original iPhone to the lacklustre Apple Intelligence, critics now compare the company to IBM in the 1980s. Is it time for Tim Cook to step aside?

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#Apple #TimCook #TechNews #iPhone #AppleIntelligence #Innovation #BradGastwirth #TechDebate

Tech

OpenAI explores social network to rival Elon Musk

OpenAI is considering a social network to rival Musk’s X, spurred by the success of its new image-generation feature.

Published

5 days ago

April 16, 2025

Ahron Young

OpenAI is considering a social network to rival Musk’s X, spurred by the success of its new image-generation feature.

In Short

OpenAI is considering creating a social network to compete with Elon Musk’s X and Meta’s Instagram, following high demand for its new image-generation tool.

The company has raised $40 billion in funding and is facing increased server demands, prompting efforts to temporarily limit the tool’s usage.

OpenAI is contemplating the development of a social network to rival Elon Musk’s X and Meta’s Instagram, according to an informed source.

This initiative is reportedly in the early stages and has emerged following the success of OpenAI’s latest image-generation tool, which has stressed the company’s servers.

The announcement was first reported by The Verge, while OpenAI has chosen not to comment on the matter.

Image-generation

In March, OpenAI launched its new image-generation feature designed to create various visual content, including diagrams, infographics, and logos. This tool also enables users to produce artistic renditions from their uploaded images.

Recently, images generated by this feature have gained significant traction on social media, with OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman recently using one for his profile photo on X. Altman noted the overwhelming popularity has led to increased server demands.

He mentioned that the company is currently looking to limit the feature’s usage temporarily while they enhance its efficiency.

The generative AI sector is highly competitive, particularly with the involvement of Musk’s xAI, which recently acquired X. The relationship between Altman and Musk has become contentious, particularly surrounding OpenAI’s move to become a for-profit entity.