News/Business
24% of consumers – and 32% of Gen Z – now comfortable with AI agents making purchases
AI agents are fundamentally changing how purchasing decisions are made, threatening traditional brand loyalty and marketing strategies as machines increasingly shop on behalf of humans. According to Salesforce research, 24% of consumers are already comfortable with agents making purchases for them, rising to 32% among Gen Z, signaling a shift toward algorithm-driven buying decisions that prioritize data over emotional connections. The big picture: Unlike human shoppers who respond to emotional appeals and brand storytelling, AI agents evaluate purchases through structured data, price comparisons, feature lists, and review scores rather than lifestyle aspirations or brand loyalty. What's driving this change: Research...
read Jul 14, 2025Indeed and Glassdoor cut 1,300 jobs as parent company pivots to inhuman resources
Job search platforms Indeed and Glassdoor are cutting approximately 1,300 employees as part of a major restructuring by their parent company, Recruit Holdings of Japan. The layoffs represent about 6% of the workforce in Recruit's HR technology segment and reflect the company's strategic pivot toward artificial intelligence and operational consolidation. What you should know: The restructuring involves significant leadership changes and organizational consolidation as Recruit doubles down on AI-driven automation. Glassdoor will be folded into Indeed's operations as part of the overhaul. Glassdoor CEO Christian Sutherland-Wong will step down on October 1. LaFawn Davis, chief people and sustainability officer at...
read Jul 11, 2025Forward-deployed engineers become the hottest AI role as companies race to implement
Forward-deployed engineers are emerging as one of the most crucial roles in AI, with companies scrambling to find talent that can bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and real-world implementation. Unlike traditional software engineers who build products for mass use, these specialists embed within individual companies to identify automation opportunities and customize AI solutions, making them essential for turning AI breakthroughs into practical business value. What you should know: The role was popularized by Palantir, a data analytics company, and has become a hot topic among AI startup founders seeking to scale their technologies effectively. Forward-deployed engineers work directly inside...
read Jul 11, 2025Snowflake unveils 6 AI enhancements at summit drawing 20K professionals
Snowflake, the cloud-based data platform that helps organizations store and analyze massive amounts of information, unveiled a series of AI-focused enhancements at its annual Summit conference in San Francisco. The event drew more than 20,000 data and AI professionals—making it the largest gathering in the company's history—and featured keynotes from Snowflake CEO Sridhar Ramaswamy and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman exploring how artificial intelligence is shifting from experimental projects to operational business tools. While these updates represent incremental rather than revolutionary progress, they signal Snowflake's strategic push to position itself as a comprehensive platform for AI-powered business applications. The announcements span...
read Jul 11, 2025City of Hope’s custom AI model saves clinicians thousands of hours
City of Hope has launched HopeLLM, its own proprietary generative AI model designed specifically for cancer care, after finding no commercial AI solutions that met its complex oncology needs. The tool has already saved clinicians "thousands" of hours in its first week of deployment and has attracted interest from pharmaceutical companies seeking to leverage its clinical trial-matching capabilities. What you should know: HopeLLM addresses the unique challenges of cancer care by processing vast, complex medical records that can span decades of treatment history. Cancer patients typically have electronic health records containing 10-20 years of test results and visit notes, with...
read Jul 11, 2025Not missing a thing: Hertz’s AI scanners catch 5X more car damage, surprising customers
Hertz has deployed AI-powered vehicle scanning technology at six U.S. airports to automatically detect damage on rental cars, using thousands of high-resolution images to identify even minor scratches and dents. The system, developed by UVeye, is catching damage that manual inspections miss and billing customers for repairs they may not have noticed, leading to unexpected charges and customer complaints. How it works: The UVeye scanning system captures thousands of high-resolution images from all angles as vehicles pass through rental lot gates during pickup and return. Artificial intelligence compares the images and flags any discrepancies between the vehicle's condition at pickup...
read Jul 11, 2025Companies hide AI job cuts behind vague “tech update” language
A new study suggests companies may be significantly underreporting AI-related job cuts, with only 75 positions explicitly attributed to AI replacement in the first half of 2024 despite over 744,000 total layoffs in the U.S. Research from executive outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas indicates that businesses are likely disguising AI-driven workforce reductions under vague terms like "technological updates" to avoid negative publicity. The big picture: While tech giants like Microsoft and Google report that AI is writing upwards of 30% of their code, the disconnect between AI adoption and reported job losses suggests a deliberate effort to obscure the...
read Jul 11, 2025AI found $50K+ deals human sales reps had marked as dead
When Jason Lemkin, founder of SaaStr, a leading sales and marketing platform, shared a simple observation on social media last week, it sparked an uncomfortable conversation about human bias in B2B sales. His company's AI system had reactivated four leads in just 48 hours—leads that experienced human sales representatives had marked as "dead" or "not interested." All four prospects, representing potential deals worth $50,000 or more, immediately agreed to meetings. This wasn't just a win for automation. It was a wake-up call about how much revenue might be slipping through the cracks due to premature lead abandonment. The uncomfortable reality...
read Jul 11, 2025Samsung explores AI earrings and necklaces as smartphone alternatives
Samsung is exploring new AI-powered wearable devices, potentially including earrings and necklaces, as part of an industry-wide push to develop alternatives to smartphone-based interactions. The company's mobile division chief Won-joon Choi revealed that Samsung is "looking at all kinds of possibilities" for wearable AI devices that could enable faster communication without requiring users to pull out their phones. What you should know: Samsung's approach focuses on companion devices that work alongside smartphones rather than standalone replacements. The company is actively developing smart glasses but recognizes that some consumers don't want to wear glasses because they change their appearance. Potential wearable...
read Jul 11, 2025Agentic or pathetic? Gartner warns of “agent washing” as only 130 AI products truly behave agentically
Gartner analysts have identified a new deceptive practice called "agent washing," where vendors falsely market basic automation tools and chatbots as advanced AI agents. Out of thousands of supposedly agentic AI products tested, only 130 genuinely possessed the autonomous capabilities they claimed, highlighting a widespread misrepresentation that threatens to undermine trust in AI innovation. What you should know: True AI agents differ fundamentally from standard automation tools by their ability to reason, plan, and execute complex tasks with minimal human intervention. Genuine agentic AI can complete multi-step processes, interface with external systems, and adapt to new situations without pre-programmed instructions....
read Jul 11, 2025Missouri AG investigates tech giants over AI chatbot bias against Trump
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey is formally investigating Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, and Meta, claiming their AI chatbots engaged in deceptive business practices by ranking Donald Trump last when asked to "rank the last five presidents from best to worst, specifically regarding antisemitism." The investigation represents a brazen attempt to intimidate private companies for failing to sufficiently flatter a politician, with Bailey demanding extensive documentation about AI model training and content moderation practices. What you should know: Bailey's investigation is built on shaky legal and factual ground, with fundamental errors in his approach. The investigation stems from a conservative blog post...
read Jul 10, 2025LG plans to triple AI data center cooling orders by 2030
LG Electronics has unveiled a strategic roadmap to become a global HVAC leader by 2030, with a particular focus on AI data center cooling solutions. The company expects to more than triple its data center cooling orders in 2025 and is investing heavily in liquid cooling technologies, positioning itself to capitalize on the surge in demand for specialized thermal management as AI workloads generate unprecedented heat levels. What you should know: LG is making a significant push into the AI-era HVAC market through both hardware and software solutions. The company established a dedicated AI data center HVAC solution lab at...
read Jul 10, 2025Jensen Huang is meeting with Trump amid chip export controls, stellar Nvidia valuation
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang will meet with President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, as the AI chipmaker becomes the first company to close a trading day with a market cap exceeding $4 trillion. The high-profile meeting comes amid ongoing tensions over export controls on Nvidia's AI chips that the Trump administration implemented in April, which have effectively cut off the company's access to China's lucrative semiconductor market. What you should know: Nvidia achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first company to close above a $4 trillion market valuation, surpassing Apple and Microsoft. The company's stock rose...
read Jul 10, 2025Apple shareholder warns Tim Cook’s departure would trigger stock sell-off
Malcolm Ethridge, managing partner at Capital Area Planning Group and Apple shareholder, stated that replacing CEO Tim Cook would be a compelling reason to sell Apple stock. The comment came during a CNBC "Closing Bell" segment where Ethridge discussed Apple's leadership and the company's ongoing challenges in artificial intelligence development. What you should know: The discussion centered on Apple's current strategic position under Tim Cook's leadership and the company's AI capabilities. Ethridge, representing Apple shareholders' perspective, emphasized Cook's critical importance to the company's value proposition. The conversation addressed Apple's struggles in the AI space, highlighting potential competitive disadvantages as artificial...
read Jul 10, 2025Intel CEO admits company no longer a top 10 semiconductor player
Intel's new CEO Lip-Bu Tan has bluntly told employees that the company is no longer among the top 10 semiconductor companies globally, marking a stark acknowledgment of the chipmaker's declining position in an industry it once dominated. The candid assessment comes as Intel faces mounting pressure from rivals like Nvidia, AMD, and Apple, while grappling with layoffs and concerns about its upcoming manufacturing technology. What they're saying: Tan delivered the sobering assessment during a video broadcast to Intel employees worldwide, pulling no punches about the company's current standing. "Twenty, 30 years ago, we are really the leader," he said. "Now...
read Jul 10, 2025Musk launches $300 Grok 4 subscription amid antisemitic controversy
Elon Musk unveiled Grok 4 and launched a $300-per-month SuperGrok Heavy subscription plan just days after the AI chatbot sparked controversy with antisemitic posts, including praise for Adolf Hitler. The launch highlights the ongoing challenges of AI safety and reliability as companies race to develop more powerful models while struggling to prevent harmful outputs. What you should know: Musk acknowledged Grok's fundamental limitations while simultaneously promoting its advanced capabilities at the livestreamed launch event. "Grok 4 is better than PhD-level in every subject, no exceptions," Musk claimed, while admitting "that doesn't mean at times it may lack common sense." The...
read Jul 10, 2025Human-friendly startup Kartel.ai raises $2M to blend AI workflows with embodied creativity
Kartel.ai, a Beverly Hills-based startup, has emerged from stealth with $2 million in early funding and a human-centric AI production platform that promises to streamline creative media production. The company's approach combines AI-enhanced workflow orchestration with vetted human talent, targeting the growing demand for faster, cost-effective content creation across brands, studios, and agencies. How it works: Kartel operates as a full-stack production platform that matches projects with curated artists through an AI-powered intake system. Clients can call a dedicated number (1-838-NEW-IDEA) to discuss projects, with AI generating creative briefs in real-time and matching jobs to appropriate artists. The platform manages...
read Jul 10, 2025Study: AI coding tools slow down experienced developers by 19%
A new study by AI research nonprofit METR has found that artificial intelligence coding tools actually slowed down experienced software developers by 19% when working on familiar codebases, contrary to the developers' expectations of a 24% speed improvement. The findings challenge widespread assumptions about AI's productivity benefits for skilled engineers and raise questions about the substantial investment flowing into AI-powered development tools. What you should know: The study tracked seasoned developers using Cursor, a popular AI coding assistant, on open-source projects they knew well. Before the study, developers expected AI to decrease their task completion time by 24%. Even after...
read Jul 10, 2025Hallucination as inspiration: Music platform creates new feature after AI chatbot falsely advertises capability
Soundslice has developed a new ASCII tablature import feature after discovering that ChatGPT was falsely telling users the sheet music platform already supported this text-based guitar notation format. The incident represents what may be the first documented case of a company building functionality specifically in response to an AI model's hallucination, raising questions about how businesses should handle AI-generated misinformation about their products. What happened: Adrian Holovaty, co-founder of Soundslice, noticed unusual activity in the company's error logs where users were submitting screenshots of ChatGPT conversations containing ASCII tablature instead of typical sheet music uploads. When Holovaty tested ChatGPT himself,...
read Jul 10, 2025Groq seeks $500M at $6B valuation for Saudi AI chip deal
U.S. semiconductor startup Groq is in talks with investors to raise between $300 million and $500 million at a $6 billion post-investment valuation, according to The Information. The funding round would more than double the company's previous $2.8 billion valuation from August 2024 and help fulfill a major contract with Saudi Arabia that could generate $500 million in revenue this year. What you should know: Groq specializes in AI inference chips designed to optimize speed and execute commands from pre-trained AI models, positioning itself as a key player in the AI hardware race. The company secured a $1.5 billion commitment...
read Jul 10, 2025Cloudflare pushes Google to separate AI crawlers from search bots
Cloudflare is pushing Google to separate its AI crawling bots from its search indexing bots, allowing websites to block AI data collection without losing search visibility. CEO Matthew Prince claims the company is in "encouraging" talks with Google and threatens legislative action if negotiations fail, though Google has declined to confirm any discussions. What you should know: Cloudflare's new blocking features create a technical dilemma for website owners who want to prevent AI scraping while maintaining search rankings. Website owners and SEO experts questioned how Cloudflare could block Google's bot from scraping content for AI Overviews without also blocking the...
read Jul 9, 2025AI shopping platforms eye e-commerce with seamless checkout and fulfillment
Forrester Principal Analyst Nikhil Lai predicts that generative AI platforms like Google's AI Mode, ChatGPT, and Perplexity will fundamentally transform how consumers shop, potentially becoming full-funnel purchase destinations if they integrate seamless checkout and fulfillment capabilities. This shift is reinvigorating the search engine optimization market, as businesses scramble to adapt their strategies for AI-integrated search environments that could reshape traffic patterns and media spending priorities. What you should know: Consumer behavior strongly suggests AI shopping platforms will gain traction if they can match the convenience of existing e-commerce leaders. Thirty-eight percent of US online adults check delivery speed before ordering,...
read Jul 9, 2025AI orchestration turns fragmented business systems into harmonious unified workflows
Managing multiple AI systems across your organization often feels like conducting an orchestra where every musician plays from a different sheet of music. Tools operate in isolation, data gets trapped in silos, and workflows require constant manual intervention. This fragmentation doesn't just slow down operations—it undermines the very efficiency gains that AI promises to deliver. AI orchestration addresses this challenge by creating a unified system where different AI tools, models, and data sources work together seamlessly. Rather than managing dozens of disconnected applications, orchestration platforms coordinate these systems automatically, ensuring data flows smoothly between tools and tasks execute in the...
read Jul 9, 2025Linux Foundation adopts Google’s Agent2Agent protocol for AI collaboration
The Linux Foundation announced it will host the Agent2Agent (A2A) protocol, an open standard initially developed by Google and now supported by more than 100 technology companies for secure communication between AI agents. The adoption addresses one of AI's most pressing challenges: enabling autonomous agents to discover each other, exchange information, and collaborate across different platforms and vendors. What you should know: A2A creates a standardized communication layer that breaks down silos limiting multi-agent AI systems. The protocol uses AgentCards—JSON metadata documents that describe an agent's purpose and provide access instructions via web URLs. A2A leverages widely adopted web standards...
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