Saturday, January 21, 2023

Current and ex-Amazon managers and execs say focus on managing costs should have come sooner, ideas aren't evaluated with the same rigor as before, and more (Jason Del Rey/Vox)

Jason Del Rey / Vox:
Current and ex-Amazon managers and execs say focus on managing costs should have come sooner, ideas aren't evaluated with the same rigor as before, and more  —  After the largest corporate layoffs in its history, the tech giant is at a crossroads.  —  For years, it seemed as though nothing …



Tech companies like Google and Microsoft have offered a muted response to unrest in Iran, prompting side projects by employees to fight censorship and more (Paresh Dave/Wired)

Paresh Dave / Wired:
Tech companies like Google and Microsoft have offered a muted response to unrest in Iran, prompting side projects by employees to fight censorship and more  —  Companies like Google have offered a muted response to unrest in Iran.  Grassroots coders are tackling internet censorship on their own.



Google may introduce ChatGPT competitor in May

Tech giant Google is preparing to introduce at least 20 artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools and a search chatbot during its annual developer conference in May this year, amid pressure from OpenAI's ChatGPT, the media reported. https://ift.tt/IxnDi4L

Friday, January 20, 2023

Experts argue the TikTok ban by over two dozen US states is a reflection of government groupthink and an overreaction to an app officials don't fully understand (Drew Harwell/Washington Post)

Drew Harwell / Washington Post:
Experts argue the TikTok ban by over two dozen US states is a reflection of government groupthink and an overreaction to an app officials don't fully understand  —  More than two dozen states have banned the lighthearted video app, citing fears of ‘Chinese infiltration.’ But some experts call …



A survey of 2,300+ game developers: 45% don't buy the promise of the metaverse, 53% support unionization, 91% say harassment by players is an issue, and more (Dean Takahashi/VentureBeat)

Dean Takahashi / VentureBeat:
A survey of 2,300+ game developers: 45% don't buy the promise of the metaverse, 53% support unionization, 91% say harassment by players is an issue, and more  —  Game developers are more skeptical of metaverse and blockchain projects, according to a new survey by the Game Developers Conference.



Google to lay off 12000: Read CEO Sundar Pichai's email

Google is set to cut 12,000 jobs. The company's CEO Sundar Pichai shared the "difficult news" in an email to employees. The job cuts will impact the company's operations globally. Many of the affected employees in the US will get the email today. The letter also mentions the severance that the affected Google employees in the US will be getting. For others, the letter says that it will be "in line with local practices". Here's the full text of the email sent by Pichai. https://ift.tt/y2n143k

Sources: the US State Department ordered embassies to push back against foreign influence campaigns, as officials worry anti-US views are taking root worldwide (New York Times)

New York Times : Sources: the US State Department ordered embassies to push back against foreign influence campaigns, as officials worry ...