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☆ Apple's poached dozens of Googlers with AI talent in recent years, report says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Apple has lured away 36 Googlers with AI expertise since 2018, the Financial Times reported. It's part of a broader talent war among Big Tech firms seeking to bolster their AI capabilities. The battle could escalate when Microsoft opens an AI hub on Google DeepMind's home turf in London. AdvertisementApple has convinced at least 36 Googlers with AI expertise to jump ship since 2018, according to a Financial Times analysis of LinkedIn profiles. Nine of the 31 authors listed on the research paper had Google listed as their last employer on their LinkedIn profiles, Business Insider found, and two authors came from Microsoft.

Persons: — Organizations: Apple, Financial Times, Big Tech, Microsoft, Google, Service Locations: London

☆ Apple's iPad caught in EU's crosshairs as it clamps down on 'gatekeepers'
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The European Commission said users are "locked in" to iPadOS and it's hard for them to switch. It comes as a part of a broader crackdown on "gatekeepers" and a market investigation into Apple. The DMA was designed to ensure fairness and healthy competition in the digital landscape and hold Big Tech "gatekeepers" accountable. In September, the EU Commission designated Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, Meta, and Microsoft gatekeepers. The EU said Monday that its iPadOS investigation found it has "features of a gatekeeper."

Persons: —, Apple's iPadOS, Margrethe Vestager, Apple didn't Organizations: EU, Digital, European Commission, Apple, Service, European, Big Tech, Business, EU Commission, Meta, Microsoft

☆ The FTC says Jeff Bezos and Amazon execs used Signal to talk business — and it wants to know more
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Amazon execs used messaging app Signal to discuss business matters, the Federal Trade Commission said. The agency wants to know if execs told Amazon staff to delete messages, and when to use Signal. AdvertisementAmazon's top executives used the encrypted messaging app Signal to discuss "sensitive business matters," the Federal Trade Commission said in a court filing on Thursday. The founder said, "Are you on signal messaging app? "Amazon also recognizes that sellers believe 'that it has become more difficult over time to be profitable on Amazon,'" the FTC filing stated.

Persons: execs, —, Jeff Bezos, Andy Jassy, David Zapolsky, Jeff Wilke, Dave Clark, Tim Doyle, Mike Hopkins, Carlo Bertucci, Amazon's, Zapolsky Organizations: Federal Trade Commission, Amazon, Service, FTC, Amazon MGM Studios

☆ You can buy a flame-throwing robot dog for under $10,000
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Ohio-based Throwflame is selling a fire-spewing robot dog called Thermonator for $9,420. The robot can operate in dark environments, has a torch light, and can shoot fire up to nine meters. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementA new robotic dog might make you run for the hills, regardless of whether you're an animal lover or not. Ohio-based company Throwflame is selling the non-cuddly canines, which can shoot out fire up to around nine meters away, for $9,420.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Ohio

☆ Google's search boss reportedly warns staff that life won't be 'hunky-dory forever' amid rise of AI rivals
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Google's search chief Prabhakar Raghavan warned staff about a changing landscape, CNBC reported. He said life won't always be "hunky-dory" as rivals seek to challenge its search dominance. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementIt's time to brace for a new chapter, Google search chief Prabhakar Raghavan has reportedly warned staff. "It's not like life is going to be hunky-dory, forever," Raghavan also said, per the outlet.

Persons: Prabhakar Raghavan, dory, —, Googlers, Raghavan Organizations: CNBC, Microsoft, Service, Google, Business

☆ It looks like Microsoft's ex-Bing boss just threw shade at Mustafa Suleyman
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Former Bing chief Mikhail Parakhin appeared to subtly criticize Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman. Parakhin wrote it's "hard to disagree" when an X user said "we need you." The comment was in response to a post quoting Suleyman's recent TED Talk that was blasted by VCs. Mikhail Parakhin, who stepped down from his role just days after Suleyman became CEO of Microsoft AI, commented under an X post about the DeepMind cofounder. An X user wrote "We need you ngl" (short for "not gonna lie") under a post summarizing Suleyman's TED Talk last week, which some critics have been ripping into.

Persons: Mikhail Parakhin, Mustafa Suleyman, Parakhin, Suleyman's, —, Suleyman Organizations: Bing, Microsoft, VCs, Service, Business

☆ Elon Musk got called an 'egotistical billionaire' by a top Australian politician in the latest beef over free speech and censorship on X
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Elon Musk was criticized by an Australian minister for refusing to remove X posts about a stabbing. Tanya Plibersek told 7News that Musk is an "egotistical billionaire" after Musk resisted the calls. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementAn Australian minister slammed Elon Musk as an "egotistical billionaire" over his refusal to take down X posts.

Persons: Elon Musk, Tanya Plibersek, Musk, —, Mar Mari Emmanuel Organizations: Guardian, Service Locations: Australian, Sydney

☆ Don't think all Nvidians are now rich, says one engineer
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewAn Nvidia engineer who makes $250,000 a year said the amount employees make at the chip giant was "not as rosy" as some might think. He told Business Insider that while some Nvidians may be lucky enough to be millionaires, "a million doesn't go too far." The software engineer didn't want to be identified as he's not authorized to speak to the media. AdvertisementThat means that a Nvidia employee earning $1 million a year may not be considered rich in a place like San Francisco. "I'm really happy with the price Nvidia stock is trading at."

Persons: —, didn't, he's, There's, Charles Schwab, I'm, I've, it's, Jensen Huang, HWA CHENG Organizations: Service, Business, Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple, Social Security, Charles Schwab Modern Wealth Survey, HWA, Getty, Bloomberg Locations: Coast, California, San Francisco, India, AFP

☆ Zuck just revealed the secret ingredient in his bromance with Jensen Huang
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Mark Zuckerberg talked about his budding friendship with Jensen Huang in a new podcast. Related stories"He and I, at this point, are the longest-standing tech founders of Big Tech companies," Zuck said. Zuck wrote in a comment: "He's like Taylor Swift, but for tech." Jensen Huang is the clear leader of the tech industry in this regard." Representatives for Zuckerberg at Meta and Huang and Nvidia did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider, made outside normal working hours.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, Jensen Huang, cheesesteaks, Huang, Time100, —, Jensen, Roberto Nickson, Zuck, Elon Musk, Zuckerberg, they'd, Taylor Swift, Zuck's, we've, I'm Organizations: Nvidia, Meta, Service, Big Tech, Bloomberg, Elon, Facebook, Business

☆ Elon Musk apologized for 'incorrectly low' Tesla severance packages
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Jyoti Mann | Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk apologized Wednesday to laid-off Tesla employees for incorrect severance packages. Some workers previously told Business Insider they were offered two months' pay as severance. AdvertisementElon Musk apologized in an email to some laid-off Tesla employees after their severance packages were found to be "incorrectly low," according to a screenshot of the email viewed by Business Insider. "As we reorganize Tesla it has come to my attention that some severance packages are incorrectly low," Musk said in the brief email sent Wednesday. Other workers told BI that as of Wednesday night, they'd yet to receive any information about severance packages.

Persons: Elon Musk, —, Musk, they'd, Tesla, Drew Baglino, who'd, he'd, Rohan Patel, They're, Parag Agrawal, Ned Segal, Vijaya Gadde, Sean Edgett Organizations: Service, Business, CNBC, Worker, Twitter Locations: China

☆ Apple keeps looking for new places to make its stuff that aren't China
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Tim Cook discussed manufacturing in Indonesia with president Joko Widodo, Reuters reported. Such a move would help Apple reduce its reliance on manufacturing in China. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. AdvertisementApple has put Indonesia in the frame as it looks to reduce its reliance on manufacturing in China. After meeting president Joko Widodo in Jakarta on Tuesday, CEO Tim Cook said the iPhone maker will "look at" Indonesia, Reuters reported.

Persons: Tim Cook, Joko Widodo, —, Cook Organizations: Reuters, Apple, Service Locations: Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Jakarta

☆ A Tesla worker who was laid off a month after he joined says he can't pay his rent
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewAn employee who'd been working at Tesla for about a month learned he'd been laid off on Monday, local news station KVUE reported. This includes quietly removing inventory discounts for its EVs in the US, as Tesla investor Sawyer Merritt noted on X.AdvertisementMusk responded, "We are simplifying and streamlining the whole Tesla sales and delivery system. Musk announced his latest moonshot on X earlier this month and said Tesla would launch a self-driving taxi called "Robotaxi," which it would reveal on August 8. Tesla didn't immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment made outside of normal working hours.

Persons: —, who'd, he'd, Ezekiel Love, Love, Elon Musk, Insider's Grace Kay, Sawyer Merritt, Musk, Dan Ives, Ives, Tesla Organizations: Service, Tesla, EV, Business Locations: Texas

☆ A Tesla worker who was hired and then laid off a month later says he can't pay his rent
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tesla laid off more than 10% of its workforce, a memo sent by CEO Elon Musk showed. One worker who lost his job a month after joining Tesla told KVUE he couldn't pay his rent. AdvertisementAn employee who'd been working at Tesla for about a month learned he'd been laid off on Monday, local news station KVUE reported. This includes quietly removing inventory discounts for its EVs in the US, as Tesla investor Sawyer Merritt noted on X.AdvertisementMusk responded, "We are simplifying and streamlining the whole Tesla sales and delivery system. Musk announced his latest moonshot on X earlier this month and said Tesla would launch a self-driving taxi called "Robotaxi," which it would reveal on August 8.

Persons: Tesla, Elon Musk, KVUE, —, who'd, he'd, Ezekiel Love, Love, Insider's Grace Kay, Sawyer Merritt, Musk, Dan Ives, Ives Organizations: Tesla, Service, EV Locations: Texas

☆ A former TikTok employee says he had a boss he never met, which concealed the platform's close ties to China
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

An ex-TikTok worker claims the company hid the involvement of ByteDance, Fortune reported. Evan Turner said he had check-ins with a ByteDance exec in Beijing and never met his American boss. AdvertisementA former TikTok employee said the company tried to hide the involvement of Chinese owner ByteDance in his work by assigning him to a manager in Seattle, whom he never met. Evan Turner, a former senior data scientist, told Fortune he was being managed by a Beijing-based ByteDance executive when he joined the company. He claimed he was placed under the management of an American manager in Seattle later in his employment.

Persons: Evan Turner, —, ByteDance, Fortune, Turner Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Beijing, Seattle, TikTok

☆ Big names are leaving Tesla. An analyst says Elon Musk has to quickly lay out what the layoffs mean.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Elon Musk has been urged to lay out a vision for Tesla as senior staff leave amid layoffs. AdvertisementElon Musk must set out a vision for Tesla after investors were spooked by high-profile departures amid layoffs, an analyst has said. Tesla stock fell 5.6% on Monday after Elon Musk announced over the weekend that more than 10% of its workforce would be laid off. Those departing Tesla worked on critical projectsBoth Baglino and Thurston worked on critical projects at the Texas factory. In an X post earlier this month, Musk said Knight was "going to join OpenAI, so it was either xAI or them."

Persons: Elon Musk, Tesla, Musk, —, Elon, Dan Ives, Ives, Drew Baglino, he'd, Rohan Patel, Anthony Thurston, Electrek, Thurston, Fred Lambert, Amir Mirshahi, Zachary Kirkhorn, Tesla's, Ethan Knight, Musk's, Knight Organizations: Service, Elon, Energy, Tesla, Business, OpenAI Locations: Texas

☆ Tesla is laying off more than 10% of its workforce, memo shows
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Grace Kay | Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Tesla is reducing its workforce by more than 10%, per an internal memo seen by Business Insider. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . Some Tesla employees lost access to their emails and Teams by Monday, two people with knowledge said. Related storiesBefore the layoffs, Tesla said it employed over 140,000 workers globally, including over 20,000 at its Fremont factory in California. Musk told staff in May that he must personally approve all new Tesla hires.

Persons: Tesla, —, Elon Musk, Musk, Tesla's Organizations: Business, Service, Bloomberg Locations: Berlin, Fremont, California, Buffalo , New York

☆ Read the memo Elon Musk sent Tesla staff announcing that the company is laying off more than 10% of the workforce
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Jyoti Mann | Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk sent Tesla employees a memo on Sunday announcing the EV maker is laying off more than 10% of its workforce globally. Separately, Tesla started instructing managers in February to identify which roles at the company were business-critical and had temporarily delayed performance reviews. AdvertisementRead the full memo Elon Musk sent Tesla employees below:Over the years, we have grown rapidly with multiple factories scaling around the globe. This will enable us to be lean, innovative and hungry for the next growth phase cycle. As we prepare the company for the next phase of growth, your resolve will make a huge difference in getting us there.

Persons: Elon Musk, Tesla, I'm, Elon Organizations: Business, National Labor Relations Board Locations: California, Buffalo , New York

☆ I tried Spotify's AI feature to make playlists with text and emoji prompts. It's impressive but I'll still make my own.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-13 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Spotify has launched AI Playlist, a new feature that makes playlists with a text or emoji prompt. It then gives you three options: "Playlist" to build your own, "Blend" to make a shared playlist with friends, and "AI Playlist" to "turn your ideas into playlists using AI." Jyoti MannOnce you tap "AI Playlist," a text box appears where you can enter a prompt — even by entering just an emoji. Within five seconds it can put together a playlist made up of 30 songs based on what it thinks you'll like. I then asked for a playlist based on the vibes of Joseph Cooper, the main character in the movie "Interstellar."

Persons: —, I've, Jyoti Mann, swiping, Adele, Hozier, Amy Winehouse, Joseph Cooper, Gaga's, Ryan Lewis's Organizations: Spotify, Service Locations: Australia, Sardinia, Italy

☆ Humane's head engineer defends its Ai Pin against scathing reviews, but admits it's 'frustrating sometimes'
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Humane's Ai Pin received some harsh reviews, sparking a response from its designer on X. Head of product engineering, Ken Kocienda, said people are jumping on the "skepticism bandwagon." download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementHumane's Ai Pin designer quickly defended the device after it was hit with several savage reviews. Ken Kocienda, head of product engineering at Humane, fought back against critics in a lengthy X post on Thursday.

Persons: Humane's Ai Pin, Ken Kocienda, — Organizations: Service, Humane, Business

☆ I had to put LinkedIn workers on performance-improvement plans — then I got laid off myself
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

LinkedIn then laid off more than 1,400 workers in two rounds of job cuts last year. AdvertisementThis as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with a former senior engineering manager at LinkedIn. During the pandemic, we sort of lowered the bar of performance expectations. If they are already starting to be a little cold or reserved, it's unlikely you're going to change their mind. 'Kill list' leaked on BlindLinkedIn laid off 716 sales, operations, and support workers in May 2023.

Persons: —, they're, could've, it's, texted Organizations: LinkedIn, Service, Business

☆ Spotify employees question lavish spending on events while the company lays off thousands
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Some employees criticize lavish spending on events, while Spotify is trying to cut costs. Some employees think Spotify is spending too much on parties and events, especially when the company is laying off thousands of people and looking to cut more costs. However, these employees said event spending has gone too far, given the company's broader efforts at frugality. One former employee described it as the company "spending tons of money flying people to Sweden to drink the Kool-Aid." Noam Galai/Getty ImagesSome of this lavish event spending is focused on solving a problem that's loomed over Spotify for years.

Persons: —, Sam Smith, Charli XCX, Gunna, Daniel Ek, Ek, Daniel Ek Dave Benett, Diplo, Spotifest, Melanie Stetson Freeman, it's, Alicia Keys, Noam Galai, Gustav Söderström Organizations: Spotify, Service, Ikea, Business, Brooklyn, Spotifest, Christian Science, Getty, company's, Apple, YouTube Locations: Drumsheds, Houston, Stockholm, New York, Sweden, New York City, York

☆ Nvidia employees are getting richer with a 'special Jensen grant' that boosts their stock awards by 25%
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Nvidia is increasing employee compensation with a stock grant named after CEO Jensen Huang. The "Jensen special grant" awards an additional 25% of the initial stock grant given to employees. The one-off grant is an extra 25% of the initial amount of stock units given to employees when they joined. The grant is in addition to any annual equity refreshers employees get each quarter that are based on individual performance. One person suggested the special Jensen grant is being handed out to ensure employees still benefit even if the share price falls back in the coming years.

Persons: Jensen Huang, Jensen, —, Jensen Huang —, Huang, Jeremy Siegel Organizations: Nvidia, Service, Bloomberg, Microsoft, Apple

☆ Jamie Dimon had a lot to say in his annual letter to shareholders
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

In today's big story, we're looking at Jamie Dimon's annual letter to shareholders and why this edition is so different . The big storyDimon sounds offWin McNamee/Getty Images; Chelsea Jia Feng/BIWhen Jamie Dimon talks, people tend to listen. Dimon's annual letter to shareholders grabs the business world's attention in ways most executives can only imagine. Dimon described the tech as just as innovative and impactful as the printing press, steam engine, electricity, and the internet, writes Business Insider's Jyoti Mann. The polarization of politics was something Dimon touched on in his letter, urging people to resist being "weaponized."

Persons: —, Jamie Dimon's, Jamie's, Win McNamee, Chelsea Jia Feng, Jamie Dimon, Larry Fink, Dimon, Insider's Jyoti Mann, BI's Theron Mohamed, BI's Juliana Kaplan, Alex Brandon, Rebecca Zisser, he's, it'd, David Rosenberg, Jenny Chang, Rodriguez, Elon Musk, Tesla, Musk, Gabor Cselle, Brooks Kraft, Zers, they'll, they've, Dan DeFrancesco, Jordan Parker Erb, Hallam Bullock, George Glover Organizations: Business, Service, JPMorgan, Democratic, Monetary Fund, Microsoft, Google, Twitter, Brooks Kraft LLC, Getty, Warner Bros, Oxford High, Boeing Locations: Pennsylvania, Asia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, London, New York

☆ Google DeepMind's CEO reportedly thinks it'll be tough to catch up with OpenAI's Sora
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Google DeepMind CEO may think OpenAI's text-to-video generator, Sora, has an edge. Demis Hassabis told a colleague it'd be hard for Google to draw level with Sora, The Information reported. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementDemis Hassabis may think OpenAI's text-to-video generator is more advanced than one made by his own company. According to The Information, the Google DeepMind CEO recently told a colleague that it could be difficult for Google to draw level with OpenAI's Sora.

Persons: Demis Hassabis, it'd, Sora, —, OpenAI's Sora, OpenAI Organizations: Google, Big Tech, Service, Business

☆ Jamie Dimon says AI will have 'extraordinary' consequences and may be as transformative as electricity and the internet
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Jamie Dimon compared the potential impact of artificial intelligence to innovations like the internet. He said JPMorgan Chase now has 2,000 AI experts working in areas such as fraud and risk. Dimon flagged that AI risks need to be rigorously managed and ethics maintained. AdvertisementJamie Dimon compared the potential impact of artificial intelligence to that of other innovations in history including the "printing press, the steam engine, electricity, computing and the internet." This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase, — Organizations: JPMorgan, Service, Business

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