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☆ Elon Musk wants to approve every Tesla hire. That could take up to 21 days of non-stop work, not counting sleep.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Elon Musk said in an email on Monday that he must approve all new Tesla hires. Elon Musk told staff he wants to approve each person that is hired at Tesla, but that won't be an easy feat. Three current Tesla employees told Insider that they've been told Musk has been heavily involved in the hiring process in the past. In 2019, Insider previously reported that recruiters received an email that all hiring request must receive "evidence" of Musk's approval. Musk and a spokesperson for Tesla did not respond to a request for comment ahead of publication.

☆ Elon Musk wants to approve every Tesla hire. It could take him up to 21 days of non-stop work, not counting sleep.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

☆ It looks like Elon Musk is getting more involved at Tesla. Read the email he sent demanding personal approval on all new hires.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk told staff he must approve all new Tesla hires, even contractors, in a company-wide email. The Tesla CEO said executives should "think carefully" before sending him a new hire. It's a sign Musk might be shifting more of his focus back to Tesla after finding a new Twitter CEO. Elon Musk is making a change at Tesla: The CEO wants to personally sign-off on each new hire. "Think carefully before sending me the request," Musk wrote in an email obtained by Insider.

☆ Redditors who say they make over $100,000 without being 'killed' by stress are discussing the type of jobs they have
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Some Redditors said they're paid over $100,000 and work less than 40 hours a week. A Redditor asked for advice on how to make over $100,000 without being "killed" by stress on Thursday and the post quickly went viral. The Reddit poster said they currently work as a learning and development specialist at a nonprofit company. Several Redditors said they've taken on roles that pay over $100,000 a year and require them to work less than 40 hours a week. "I love project management," one Redditor wrote.

☆ Software engineers are panicking about being replaced by AI
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AI has already begun to threaten the job security of software engineers. In a separate post, a Blind user created a poll asking whether young software engineers are screwed. Earlier this year, Semafor reported that OpenAI had begun teaching its AI software engineering, and Insider previously reported that AI advancements like ChatGPT have already begun to threaten the job security of software developers. Still, some users are optimistic that AI will be beneficial to software engineers. We made it, it didn't make us," a Microsoft worker wrote in response to the fate of software engineers.

☆ Tech workers are freaking out over whether the end is here for $500,000-plus salaries
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Tech workers on anonymous networking site Blind debated whether the end of $500,000 salaries is here. Tech workers are concerned it might be the end of a very lucrative era in the industry. The Oracle employee was not the only one to question whether tech salaries are on a downward spiral. Major tech companies like Meta, Microsoft, and Google have laid off thousands of staff in recent months. Additional concerns are being raised over the growing abilities of AI, with dozens of tech workers taking to Blind to question whether their jobs will be replaced entirely.

☆ CEO who went viral for 'pity city' comment on bonuses apologizes to staff: 'I feel terrible that my rallying cry seemed insensitive'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

MillerKnoll CEO Andrea Owen apologized to staff for comments that "seemed insensitive." In a companywide email, Owen said her comments on bonuses "landed in a way that I did not intend." Andrea Owen, the CEO of furniture company MillerKnoll, apologized to staff in a companywide email after a video of her responding to employee questions about staying motivated while potentially losing their bonuses went viral. "I want to be transparent and empathetic, and as I continue to reflect on this instance, I feel terrible that my rallying cry seemed insensitive," Owen said in an email to staff. I want to be transparent and empathetic, and as I continue to reflect on this instance, I feel terrible that my rallying cry seemed insensitive.

☆ Elon Musk said he hasn't talked to his former friend Larry Page in years: 'He got very upset with me about OpenAI'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Elon Musk said Larry Page hasn't spoken to him in years after they disagreed about AI safety. Musk said Page wanted to create a "digital god" and accused him of being a speciesist. Elon Musk said his longtime friendship with Google cofounder Larry Page ended over a disagreement about AI and that the two men haven't talked in years. The Tesla CEO said Page "got very upset with me about OpenAI" — the company Musk helped found as a competitor to Google's AI efforts. Musk said that he hasn't been able to talk with Page "because he doesn't want to talk to me anymore."

☆ Elon Musk says the government needs 'some sort of contingency plan' to shutdown AI if it gets too powerful
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk said the government needs "some sort of contingency plan" to deal with powerful AI. Musk told Tucker Carlson there needs to be a way to shut it down if it gets out of hand. Elon Musk said the government needs to be prepared to step in if artificial intelligence gets out of hand. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman have also called for government regulation and expressed concern about the potential dangers of the technology. Now, Musk says he plans to create a "maximum truth-seeking AI that tries to understand the nature of the universe."

☆ Meta staff are reportedly grumbling that cafeteria options and perks are on a downward spiral as Mark Zuckerberg cuts costs
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Some Meta staff said office food options are on a downward spiral, The New York Times reported. Over the past year, the company has cut back on several perks, including its laundry service. The publication reported that "many" Meta employees lamented what they believed to be a decline in cafeteria options, and one worker commented on a lack of snacks and cereals at the offices. A Meta spokesperson declined to comment on the employees' reported complaints when contacted by Insider. Insider previously reported that the company cut $1,000 off its health and wellness benefits and ended a $200-a-month Lyft subsidy program.

☆ Elon Musk's ex-lieutenant took a jab at the billionaire after he changed the company's sign to 'Titter:' 'Who hurt you?'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Twitter's former head of ad sales, Robin Wheeler, took a dig at Elon Musk over his "Titter" sign. The Chief Twit said on Sunday that he'd painted over the "w" on Twitter's sign at its headquarters. Sign up for our newsletter for the latest tech news and scoops — delivered daily to your inbox. Since taking Twitter private, Musk has eliminated over half of the company's workforce. On Sunday, Musk said on Twitter that the "W" on the Twitter sign at its San Francisco headquarters had been painted over.

☆ LinkedIn cofounder says Elon Musk has an 'it's only great if I do it' mentality when it comes to ChatGPT
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman told CNBC the call for an AI slow down is a "mistaken effort." He said Elon Musk has an "it's only great if I do it" mentality when it comes to ChatGPT. Both Musk and Hoffman helped found OpenAI in 2015, but Musk left the company's board of directors in 2018 and has been critical of the company ever since. Despite his longtime friendship with Musk, Hoffman said he's "much more on the path that OpenAI has gone" when it comes to developing the technology. Spokespeople for Musk, Hoffman, and OpenAI did not respond to a request for comment ahead of publication.

☆ Google CEO says he used the company's Bard AI chatbot to plan his father's 80th birthday party
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Google CEO Sundar Pichai said he used Google Bard to help plan his father's 80th birthday. Pichai said Bard told him he should make a scrapbook for the event. "It's not that it's profound, but it says things and kind of sparks the imagination," Pichai told the Times. Pichai's experience echoes similar stories from early users of Google's competitor, Microsoft's Bing AI chatbot. Pichai told the Times he understands the concerns people have, but remains optimistic about AI technology.

☆ Elon Musk says it's 'weird' that his name was found in Twitter's algorithm source code along with labels like 'Democrat' or 'Republican'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Elon Musk said it was "weird" that his name was written into Twitter's recommendation algorithm. Twitter's source code labeled tweets authored by Musk, a "Republican," a "Democrat," or "power user." During a Twitter's Spaces event, two users pointed out that Musk's name had been coded into Twitter's recommendation algorithm, which specifically labeled whether a tweet had been authored by Musk. A screenshot of a branch of code in Twitter's recommendation algorithm that has since been removed on GitHub. In a blog post explaining the decision to release the code, Twitter broke down how the algorithm determines which tweets to feature.

☆ Tesla recalled some of its electric semi trucks just months after they hit the road
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

It is unclear how many Tesla Semis have been delivered. The recall impacts 35 trucks, but it's unclear what percentage of the total number of Tesla Semis on the road that represents. The electric-car maker began delivering the semi trucks in December. In January, Tesla issued an end-of-quarter delivery report, but it did not specify the delivery number for the Tesla Semi. The Tesla Semi recall is one of several hiccups the electric-car maker has dealt with in recent months.

☆ Elon Musk reportedly asked to meet with the chair of the FTC but she rejected his request
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

FTC chair Lina Khan turned down Elon Musk's invitation to meet, The New York Times reported. The agency has said it followed Musk's Twitter takeover "with deep concern." At the time of his request, the agency said it was tracking Musk's takeover "with deep concern" in November. The regulator has issued a request to interview Musk as a part of its investigation, but it has yet to occur, the publication said. Earlier this month, Musk called the FTC probe a "weaponization of a government agency" and a "serious attack on the Constitution."

☆ A top AI researcher reportedly left Google for OpenAI after sharing concerns the company was training Bard on ChatGPT data
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A top Google researcher resigned after warning execs that Bard was trained off ChatGPT, per The Information. A Google spokesperson told The Verge that Bard is not trained on data from ChatGPT. The researcher is one of many Google employees to leave the company and join OpenAI. One person told The Information that Google stopped using the data to train Bard after Devlin warned executives about the issue. The Information reported that Alphabet's two AI teams, DeepMind and Google Brain, have joined forces to better compete with OpenAI.

☆ The second day of Tesla's racial bias trial included testimony from a former worker who said he found feces on a factory cart
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

It was part of a retrial for an ex-contractor who filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against Tesla. Wheeler was one of a handful of former Tesla workers that testified on Tuesday regarding their experience as Black workers at Tesla's Fremont factory. Wheeler said that the incident occurred one evening during his night shift at the factory after he took a 30-minute break. Wheeler had testified about the alleged incident in the initial trial in 2021. His complaints echo similar lawsuits from other Tesla factory workers.

☆ Tesla is being investigated after reports of seat belts disconnecting on their own
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The NHTSA said it is investigating Model X SUVs from 2022 and 2023 over concerns of seat belt failure. The agency said it received two reports of seat belt failure. Earlier this month, the regulator began investigating reports of Model Y steering wheels falling off. The NHTSA said it launched the investigation after it received two complaints that the SUV's front seat belt had failed to remain connected to its anchor while the owners were driving. Both reports said the seat belt issue occurred at low vehicle mileage and neither car was involved in an accident, according to the regulator.

☆ Mark Zuckerberg says Meta is aiming to update workers on the company's remote-work policy this summer, but he's not going to eliminate it completely
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Mark Zuckerberg said during a meeting that Meta may update its remote work policy this summer. The CEO said the company does not plan to eliminate all remote work. During an all-hands meeting following a lay-off announcement earlier this week, the CEO responded to a question from an employee around the company's remote work policy. Zuckerberg said that while the company plans to "continue to support remote work," it will analyze performance data and potentially "update" the policy. The Meta CEO said the company plans to analyze data around in-office work and determine the best policy going forward.

☆ A Meta employee asked Mark Zuckerberg how staff could trust his leadership decisions after layoffs during a tense town hall
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Grace Kay | Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Mark Zuckerberg was asked how staff will be able to trust his leadership decisions during a town hall. The Meta CEO said it was a "fair question" and he is doing his best to be transparent with staff. During an anonymous Q&A portion of the meeting, Zuckerberg responded to concerns about how employees could "trust leadership decisions after two rounds of layoffs." The billionaire also addressed another question from a Meta staffer that asked how his perspective had shifted from November. "I think it's a completely fair question," Zuckerberg said.

☆ A laid-off Meta worker says the company paid her to not work: They were 'hoarding us like Pokémon cards'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

An ex-Meta worker said she was part of a group that didn't have work to do when hired. Britney Levy told Insider some people were frustrated and felt Meta was stalling their careers. In the video that has since garnered over 870,000 views, Levy said she felt Meta was hiring people so other companies couldn't have them. "They were just kind of like hoarding us like Pokémon cards," she said in the video. "People who were incredibly well qualified and had turned down amazing opportunities said they felt Meta was intentionally stalling their career.

☆ Elon Musk is reportedly planning to build a town for Texas staff, complete with a swimming pool, private compound, and school
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Grace Kay | Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk is planning to build his own town for SpaceX and The Boring Company staff. While Musk has overseen all purchases, Kanye West and the billionaire's ex-girlfriend, Grimes, also discussed the idea last year, the Journal reported. The town will be outfitted with a pool, an outdoor sports area, and a gym in addition to the prefabricated homes, the Journal reported. Spokespeople for SpaceX and The Boring Company did not respond to a request for comment from Insider. Do you work for The Boring Company, SpaceX, or have insight to share?

☆ Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin sued over allegations the rocket company discriminates against older workers
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A spokesperson for Blue Origin did not respond to a request for comment. It's not the first time that Blue Origin has faced criticism from a former employee. In 2021, Alexandra Abrams, the former head of Blue Origin employee communications, published an open letter alongside a group describing itself as 21 former and current Blue Origin employees. At the time, a Blue Origin representative told Insider the company doesn't tolerate harassment and would investigate the claims. Do you work for Blue Origin or have insight to share?

☆ I worked in Tesla's Nevada Gigafactory. I loved my job, and it had little to do with Elon Musk.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A Tesla production associate said they loved their job at the Gigafactory in Sparks, Nevada. They said their work was challenging and inspiring, and rarely directly involved Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Working at Tesla isn't all about Elon MuskI wish people understood that working at Tesla is not like what you see in the news. The production associate said their work had little to do with Elon Musk. The people that pushed carts with supplies could get 20,000 to 30,000 steps and it could be a really labor intensive job.

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