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☆ Microsoft is laying off 1,900 workers at Activision, Xbox, and ZeniMax
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Microsoft is laying off 1,900 workers at Activision, Xbox, and ZeniMaxAngle down icon An icon in the shape of an angle pointing down. The cuts will mostly impact Activision Blizzard employees, reports say. SOPA/Getty Images

Organizations: Microsoft, Activision, Xbox, Activision Blizzard

☆ Elon Musk's optimism about Optimus might be misplaced
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk has been bigging up Tesla as a robotics powerhouse, highlighting its humanoid bot, Optimus, as a gleaming example of its sophisticated technology. It's possible, however, that Musk is being a tad over-optimistic in his humanoid robot ambitions, particularly regarding its delivery timeline. In true Musk fashion, he made some grand claims about Optimus in the investors' call. It's the most sophisticated humanoid robot that's been developed anywhere in the world." He said, "It should be impossible for any centralized control to upload malware to a humanoid robot."

Persons: Elon Musk, Tesla, there's, Optimus, Walter Isaacson, Musk, Tesla's, Brett Adcock Organizations: Service, Business, SpaceX, Optimus, German, BMW, Robotics, Amazon, Tesla Locations: Mars

☆ Ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt quietly created a company called White Stork, which plans to build AI-powered attack drones, report says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt has reportedly been building a startup called White Stork. AdvertisementFormer Google CEO Eric Schmidt is building a military startup called White Stork, which plans to produce AI attack drones , Forbes reported. White Stork wants to mass-produce drones that can use AI to identify targets, the new report said. The latest Forbes story also details how Schmidt has used an intricate business structure through several Limited Liability Companies. White Stork was an LLC called Swift Beat Holdings but changed its name to White Stork Group last September.

Persons: Eric Schmidt, Schmidt, —, Forbes, White Stork, Stork, Swift Organizations: Forbes, Service, Swift, Holdings, White, Group, Robotics, Google, Department of Defense's Innovation, Business

☆ eBay is laying off 1,000 employees — about 9% of its workforce. Read the memo its CEO sent to staff.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

eBay is cutting 1,000 jobs — a reduction of about 9% of its workforce. CEO Jamie Iannone told employees in a memo Tuesday that it would make the latest round of layoffs so it could be "more nimble." Iannone pointed to its expenses and headcount eclipsing the growth of its business in the memo shared on the company website. While we are making progress against our strategy, our overall headcount and expenses have outpaced the growth of our business." Read the full memo the CEO sent to employees below.

Persons: Jamie Iannone, Iannone Organizations: Service, eBay, Google, Amazon, Prime, MGM Studios

☆ Google's efforts to shrink its workforce in Korea has hit a snag as some employees are refusing to go
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

About 10 Google employees from its office in Seoul have accepted the company's suggestion to resign, the report said. Around 100 Google workers in Korea formed a union last year due to mounting concerns over the industry-wide layoffs in the US. "With the ongoing job cuts within the US tech industry, employees have been concerned about their job security and decided to establish a union," Kim Jong-sub, head of the Google Korea union, told Korea Herald last April. Google laid off 12,000 employees in 2023 — about 6% of its headcount — and it's continuing to make job cuts this year. A total of 262,595 employees were laid off from 1,186 tech companies in 2023, Layoffs.fyi, which tracks job cuts, showed.

Persons: KangNam, Bongsoo Jung, Kim Jong, Sundar Pichai, Hugh Langley, Google didn't Organizations: Service, Google, Korea JoongAng Daily, Business, Google Korea, Korea Herald, Korea Locations: South Korea, Korea, Seoul

☆ An Apple Maps error showed a restaurant as 'permanently closed' and it took a hit on sales, owner says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Read previewA restaurant owner in Australia says a mishap with Apple Maps has cost him business. Chris Pyatt told ABC Australia that Apple Maps was displaying his Thai restaurant, Pum's Kitchen, as "permanently closed." "But we have seen a sudden and drastic change in customer behaviour towards the end of November and all of December," he told ABC Australia. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. AdvertisementThe Maps app was later updated to reflect that it's not permanently closed after ABC Australia contacted Apple for comment.

Persons: —, Chris Pyatt, he's, Pyatt, Apple, Tim Cook, Cook, Apple didn't Organizations: Service, Apple, ABC, Business, Google, ABC Australia, Apple Support Locations: Australia, ABC Australia

☆ A tech CEO died after falling 20 feet to the stage at a company event when a cable snapped
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The CEO of an Illinois-based software firm died following an incident at a company event, reports say. The company was holding an event in Hyderabad, India to celebrate its 25th anniversary. AdvertisementA tech CEO died following an incident at a company event in India, multiple outlets reported. The two men can be seen falling out of the cage and plunging about 20 feet to the stage. Shah, 56, was the founder of Vistex and CEO of the revenue management software firm for 25 years.

Persons: Sanjay Shah, Vistex, —, Vishwanath Raju Datla, Shah Organizations: Service, The Times, Film, CBS News Locations: Illinois, Hyderabad, India

☆ Bill Gates thinks the super-wealthy should pay more tax – and plenty of rich people agree
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-20 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Bill Gates wants ultra-wealthy individuals to pay more tax — and now a growing chorus of billionaires agree. Gates doubled down on his calls to tax the rich in a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week. It seems others agree, as more than 250 ultra-wealthy people signed an open letter calling for global leaders to impose a wealth tax. "Our request is simple: we ask you to tax us, the very richest in society," the letter says. The open letter's signatories includes Abigail Disney , whose grandfather Roy O. Disney cofounded The Walt Disney Company.

Persons: Bill Gates, Gates, Abigail Disney, Roy O, Disney, Brian Cox, Valerie Rockefeller, Rockefeller Organizations: Service, Business, Microsoft, Economic, Walt Disney Company, Patriotic Millionaires, Patriotic Millionaires UK, TaxMeNow, Humanity, Oxfam, Boeing, Disney Locations: Davos, California, New York

☆ Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says AI can't be 'bad' like social media if it's going to be trusted
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Marc Benioff called for greater public trust in AI in a panel at the World Economic Forum. The Salesforce CEO said he wants people to trust AI — unlike social media over the past decade. Winning public trust in AI will require greater regulation, Benioff said. Benioff also said that social media has been a "shit show," adding: "It's pretty bad — we don't want that in our AI industry." OpenAI CEO Sam Altman spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Persons: Marc Benioff, Benioff, —, Salesforce, Sam Altman, FABRICE COFFRINI, OpenAI, Altman, wasn't, Einstein, Salesforce didn't Organizations: Economic, Service, CNBC, Bloomberg, Business Locations: Davos, Switzerland, OpenAI

☆ Abigail Disney regrets that she once flew alone on her family's private Boeing 737 from California to New York
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Abigail Disney expressed regret for flying solo on her family's private jet nearly two decades ago. The Disney heiress made the comments in a report titled "Proud to Pay More." AdvertisementThe Walt Disney Company heiress and filmmaker Abigail Disney said it was "wrong" for her to fly on her family's private Boeing 737 plane alone. Abigail Disney is the granddaughter of Roy O. Disney, who cofounded The Walt Disney Company alongside his brother, Walt Disney. AdvertisementShe said that "one of the greatest luxuries" she experienced growing up was her family's private jet, but one of her strongest memories of using the plane was "actually not so fond."

Persons: Abigail Disney, —, Roy O, Walt Disney, Disney, She's, Bob Iger Organizations: Disney, Service, Walt Disney Company, Boeing, Financial Times, SEC Locations: California, New York

☆ Meta spent $6.6 million on private jet flights in 2022 for Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg's private flights reportedly cost $6.6 million in 2022. The cost of flights for Zuckerberg alone was $2.3 million in 2022, per reports. AdvertisementThe use of private jets by Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg and its former COO Sheryl Sandberg cost the company $6.6 million in 2022, The Wall Street Journal reported. The cost of private flights for Zuckerberg alone was $2.3 million in 2022 , The Financial Times reported. The company spent almost $27 million on Zuckerberg's security and private jet travel in 2021, with $1.6 million alone spent on his flights that year.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg's, Zuckerberg, —, Sheryl Sandberg, Meta didn't Organizations: Street Journal, Service, Financial Times, Meta, Corporate, Reuters, Business, Boeing

☆ Satya Nadella says Microsoft just wants stability and good governance at OpenAI— not a board seat
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Satya Nadella said he's "not interested" in a seat on OpenAI's board. "I'm comfortable, I have no issues with any structure, what we just want is good stability and as I said we don't even need, I'm not interested in a board seat," he said. The comments come after a tumultuous week at OpenAI in November in which CEO Sam Altman was ousted, only to return a week later. AdvertisementThe Microsoft chief doubled down on his comments regarding an OpenAI board seat: "It doesn't matter to me right, I mean the board seat is not the critical path at all for us." Microsoft didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, made outside normal working hours.

Persons: Satya Nadella, I'm, Sam Altman, Altman, Nadella Organizations: Service, Bloomberg, Economic, Microsoft, Business, OpenAI, Markets Authority, European Commission, EU, Apple Locations: Davos, OpenAI

☆ Apple tells dozens of employees in San Diego to move to Austin or face layoffs, report says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Apple has told 121 staff in San Diego to move to Austin or face being laid off, Bloomberg reported. They've been given until the end of February to decide if they'll relocate, the report said. AdvertisementApple has reportedly told 121 employees in San Diego to relocate to Austin or face being laid off. People with knowledge of the matter said the employees told Bloomberg the majority of the 121 workers weren't willing to relocate. The company told staff in its Development and Preservation teams to reapply for their jobs or they would get laid off.

Persons: Apple, They've, they'll, —, Siri, Platformer's Zoë Schiffer, Schiffer, Hugh Langley, Tim Cook, Apple's, Tim Cook's, It's, Apple didn't Organizations: Bloomberg, Service, Apple, Texas, Preservation, Meta, Google, CNBC, Microsoft, Huawei, Reuters, Business Locations: San Diego, Austin, China

☆ The low-key cofounder of OnlyFans has joined an airline startup
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A cofounder of OnlyFans, Tom Stokely, has joined an airline startup as a director, filings show. Now he's part of Global Airlines, which will operate commercial flights on Airbus A380s this year. Stokely joined British startup Global Airlines after keeping a low profile since he sold the subscription site. Stokely set up OnlyFans, which is known mostly for its adult content, in 2016 with his brother, Tim. AdvertisementThe former banker met Global Airlines founder James Asquith last year , The Telegraph reported.

Persons: Tom Stokely, Stokely's, —, Stokely, Laurent, Perrier Champagne, Tim, Leo Radvinsky, James Asquith Organizations: Global Airlines, Airbus, Service, Fenix International, The Telegraph, British Airways, Virgin Locations: British, Ukrainian, American, Stokely, London, New York

☆ Silicon Valley engineers joked you'd go to LinkedIn to retire. Then came the PIPs and layoffs.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-12 | by ( Jyoti Mann | Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

"For years, there was a semi-joke that some people in Big Tech go to LinkedIn to retire," a current engineer told BI. Amid a transformative year for the social network, LinkedIn spokesperson Nicole Leverich said the company has continued to prioritize its employees. The golden days of growthSome LinkedIn workers like to reminisce about what one engineer called the "golden days." AdvertisementLinkedIn rates its workers on a scale of one to five, seven workers told BI. AdvertisementA current engineering manager added that the goalposts for performance reviews had shifted.

Persons: —, Satya Nadella, we've, It's, Nicole Leverich, Leverich, you'd, Mohak Shroff, ChatGPT, We're, Ryan Roslansky, Kelly Sullivan, he'd, hadn't, Roslanksy, Brian Wieser Organizations: Service, LinkedIn, Business, BI, Microsoft, Big Tech, Google Locations: Big, Madison

☆ There's been a creepy rise in people using AI apps to 'undress' women in photos, data shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-08 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

AI apps and websites that create fake nude images are seeing a rise in the number of visitors. The platforms use AI to make photos of fully clothed women appear naked. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementAI apps that can "undress" women in photos are seeing higher numbers of users, data showed. Such "undressing" sites and apps let users upload an image of someone fully clothed.

Persons: Graphika, — Organizations: Service, Business

☆ Spotify ditches popular podcasts 'Heavyweight' and 'Stolen' as CEO doubles down on cost-cutting
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Spotify is cutting two big podcasts, "Heavyweight" and "Stolen," Bloomberg reported. The podcasts in question, "Heavyweight" and "Stolen," will be canceled after completing their current seasons, the report said. Given the cancellations, the streaming giant's viral Spotify Wrapped campaign might soon be overshadowed by a new mantra: "Spotify Scrapped." "Heavyweight" was listed as one of The New York Times' top podcasts of the year and "Stolen" won a Pulitzer Prize and Peabody Award. The news of the podcasts' axing comes as Spotify made its third round of layoffs this year.

Persons: Daniel Ek, —, Ek, Mason Morfit, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Organizations: Bloomberg, Analysts, Service, Spotify, The New York Times, Peabody, Spotify's Gimlet, Financial Times Locations: Stockholm

☆ Elon Musk thinks Tesla has 'the best real-world AI,' but an ex-worker raised concerns about how it's powering the Autopilot feature
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk believes that Tesla has the "best real-world AI," which powers its self-driving tech. Whistleblower Lukasz Krupski told BBC News that the Autopilot feature wasn't ready for public use. "It affects all of us because we are essentially experiments in public roads," he told BBC News. A lawyer representing Tesla told the newspaper that Krupski was a "disgruntled former employee," and said he abused his position to release the material. Some documents leaked to The Handelsblatt had recorded accidents that occurred when using Tesla's Autopilot feature, first released in 2015.

Persons: Elon Musk, Tesla, Lukasz Krupski, —, Elon, doesn't, Krupski, Kruspki, he'd Organizations: BBC News, Service, Tesla, New York Times, BBC, Business Locations: Oslo, Norway

☆ OpenAI is paying out $51 million to a chip startup that Sam Altman personally invested in, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

OpenAI agreed to pay startup company Rain AI $51 million for when its chips are released, per Wired. OpenAI chief Sam Altman reportedly invested $1 million of his own money in the company. Saudi Aramco's VC firm Prosperity7 also invested but sold its sell shares, Bloomberg reported. AdvertisementOpenAI signed a letter of intent to spend $51 million on chip startup Rain AI, Wired reported. Saudi Aramco's investment vehicle Prosperity7 led a funding round last year that saw Rain raise $25 million , Bloomberg recently reported.

Persons: OpenAI, Sam Altman, Prosperity7, —, Gordon Wilson, Wilson, Daniel Gross, Altman, Joe Biden's, didn't Organizations: OpenAI, Saudi Aramco's VC, Bloomberg, Service, Wired, Foreign Investment, Business Locations: San Francisco, Saudi, United States

☆ Read the full memo Spotify's CEO sent employees announcing it would cut 17% of its staff: 'Being lean is not just an option but a necessity'
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

CEO Daniel Ek told employees in a memo they would get an email from HR in two hours. The music streaming giant said in a blog post Monday announcing the cuts that "being lean is not just an option but a necessity." CEO Daniel Ek sent an email to his employees Monday with the same memo shared in the blog post. Two Spotify employees, who did not wish to be identified, told BI that some employees expected the further layoffs were looming. AdvertisementThe company shared a blog post in September titled "Unlocking Internal Mobility", which said that internal mobility would be "taking a higher priority."

Persons: Daniel Ek, —, Ek, Katarina Berg, we've, I've, we're, Katarina, Severance, We're, – Daniel Organizations: Spotify, Business, Service, BI Locations: Stockholm, Sweden, Europe, Canada, Mexico, Israel, India

☆ I'm a 40-year-old former teacher retraining to get into AI. It might be crazy but I wish more people my age were doing it.
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-03 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

She says it's difficult to pivot mid career but wishes more people her age were studying AI. AdvertisementThis as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Evrim Kanbur, a 40-year-old former university teacher who is learning to code to work in AI. To pay bills, I get passive income from online classes I pre-record for the e-learning platform Udemy, which I've been doing since 2017. Kabur's home studio where she recorded online classes Evrim KanburRetraining has been quite hardRetraining is not something that's easy to do. But I want to do this now and I'm happy I'm sticking with it.

Persons: Evrim Kanbur, —, I've, I'm, it's Organizations: Service, Deloitte, Riot Games, Harvard University, MIT Locations: Shanghai, China

☆ Hey Elon – what's up with all the scammy ads for Louis Vuitton bags on X?
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Some X users say they're seeing lots of ads for likely fake Louis Vuitton handbags on the platform. After Elon Musk told major advertisers to "go fuck yourself" and "don't advertise" at The New York Times' DealBook summit Wednesday, some X users saying they're seeing lots of ads for Louis Vuitton bags that are probably fakes. "X prohibits the sale of or promoting the sale of counterfeit goods on the platform," according to its counterfeit policy . "Twitter had resorted to letting people place ads for their fake Louis Vuitton bags. According to a X business blog post , Louis Vuitton ran an ad campaign for its collaboration with Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama in January, but it's unclear if it's an ad partner or big spender.

Persons: Louis Vuitton, Elon, —, Elon Musk, hasn't, It's, Taylor Fisher, Linda Yaccarino, Monique Pintarelli Organizations: Service, The New York Times, Louis, Twitter, Business, X, ust Locations: Americas

☆ Sam Altman said he was hurt and angry after OpenAI ousting – but had to get over ego and emotions to discuss his return
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sam Altman said he was reluctant about returning to OpenAI, but that feeling was "not for long." He told The Verge he first had to get over his "ego and emotions" after being ousted as CEO. Altman said his immediate reaction was one of being "hurt and angry" and that "this sucks." Altman said the feeling was "not for long," though, and first he had to "get over the ego and emotions" to discuss the possibility of resuming his role. And my immediate reaction was sort of one of defiance, it was like, 'Man, I'm hurt and angry, and I think this sucks'," Altman told The Verge.

Persons: Sam Altman, Altman, —, I'd, — Sam Altman, OpenAI, Ilya Sutskever, Ilya, OpenAI didn't Organizations: Service, OpenAI, Business Locations: OpenAI

☆ It sure looks like Elon Musk is deliberately destroying X
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Jyoti Mann | Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Elon Musk seems to be trying to sabotage X by telling major advertisers "go fuck yourself." It gives weight to a theory that Musk may be deliberately trying to sink X, formerly Twitter. Those banks have since been trying to sell the debt — which looks increasingly worthless as Musk drives X into the ground. In the meantime, X and Musk must pay millions of dollars in interest to their financiers. "There is no way back, there is no way to reverse the statement Elon made yesterday," said Ruben Schreurs, chief strategy officer at the marketing consultancy Ebiquity, which works with major advertisers.

Persons: Elon Musk, Martin Sorrell, —, NBCUniversal, Musk, Linda Yaccarino, Linda, Jerod Harris, Matt Levine, Levine, Lou Paskalis, Musk's, Paskalis, BI's Grace Kay, Kali Hays, it's, Elon, Ruben Schreurs, Yaccarino, didn't Organizations: Service, The New York Times, Apple, Disney, IBM, Bloomberg, Bank of America, AJL, Musk's Twitter, Ebiquity, X

☆ Password authenticator Okta says hackers stole names and email addresses of all its customer support users
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Okta said hackers stole a report with names and email addresses of all customer support users. Those users face an "increased risk of phishing," the password authenticator said in a blog. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . But in a blog post Wednesday, Okta said hackers stole a report that included the names and email addresses of "all Okta customer support system users." A group of hackers called Lapsus$ extortion group accessed a customer support engineer's account in January 2022 and shared screenshots of Okta's systems, per the report.

Persons: Okta, —, David Bradbury, Bradbury Organizations: Service, FedEx, P, TechCrunch Locations: San Francisco

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