News/Future of Work
UK study: Neurodiverse workers get 90% more value from AI than neurotypical colleagues
A UK government study reveals that neurodiverse employees derive significantly more benefit from AI tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot than their neurotypical colleagues, with 90% higher satisfaction rates and 95% greater likelihood to recommend the technology. This finding suggests AI's most transformative impact may lie in accessibility rather than general productivity gains, potentially revolutionizing workplace inclusion for millions of people with disabilities. What you should know: The UK Department for Business and Trade study found that while overall Copilot satisfaction was 72%, neurodiverse employees reported statistically higher satisfaction and recommendation rates. Out of 1,000 licenses distributed to government employees, 300...
read Sep 8, 2025Job seekers face long searches as AI dominates hiring process, creates swipe-like disposability
The American job market has become increasingly dysfunctional as both job seekers and employers rely heavily on AI tools, creating a cycle where millions of applications go unanswered despite low unemployment rates. Recent college graduate Harris applied to 200 jobs and received 200 rejections, illustrating how AI-powered hiring systems have transformed job searching into what experts describe as "Tinderized job-search hell." What you should know: The hiring process has stalled despite seemingly healthy economic indicators, with payrolls frozen for four months and hiring rates at their lowest since the Great Recession. The hiring rate has dropped from four or five...
read Sep 8, 2025US Census data reveals 2% drop in enterprise AI adoption
US Census Bureau data reveals AI usage among large companies dropped from nearly 14 percent in mid-June to under 12 percent in August—the largest decline since tracking began in November 2023. This represents a concerning trend for tech investors who have poured billions into AI development, expecting enterprise adoption to drive sustainable returns on their massive investments. What you should know: The decline affects companies across different sizes, with the steepest drop occurring among enterprises with over 250 employees. Data from over 1.2 million US firms shows AI usage fell most dramatically in large corporations, while very small businesses with...
read Sep 8, 2025Survey: 62% of Americans want AI as creative tool, not replacement
A new survey reveals that most Americans want AI to serve as a creative tool rather than replace human artists entirely. The findings suggest people value the human experience in art and prefer AI systems that amplify artistic vision rather than generate content autonomously. What you should know: The survey of 150 U.S. residents found that 62% would like their favorite artwork less if they learned it was created by AI without human involvement. Only 13% considered people using AI to be artists, while 42% said "yes, but only if they are providing significant guidance to the AI; otherwise, no."...
read Sep 8, 2025Nobel winner Geoffrey Hinton warns AI will create massive unemployment
Geoffrey Hinton, the Nobel Prize-winning "godfather of AI," warned that artificial intelligence will create massive unemployment while boosting corporate profits as companies replace workers with AI systems. The renowned computer scientist attributes this outcome not to the technology itself but to the capitalist system, echoing his earlier concerns about AI companies prioritizing short-term profits over long-term consequences. What he's saying: Hinton predicts a stark economic divide as AI adoption accelerates across industries. "What's actually going to happen is rich people are going to use AI to replace workers," he told the Financial Times. "It's going to create massive unemployment and...
read Sep 5, 2025The Anti-Amodei: Palantir CEO launches $1B AI campaign against job displacement fears
Palantir CEO Alex Karp is pushing back against widespread fears that artificial intelligence will eliminate American manufacturing and skilled labor jobs, calling such concerns "not true" and launching a campaign to change public perception. His comments come as unemployment figures climb and debates intensify over AI's role in job displacement, positioning Palantir, a data analytics software company, to both defend its commercial interests and shape broader AI adoption narratives. What they're saying: Karp argues that AI will enhance rather than replace skilled workers, criticizing Silicon Valley's messaging on the topic. "It's not true, and in fact, it's kind of the...
read Sep 5, 2025AI creating or augmenting jobs, not replacing workers, according to Fed report
A new Federal Reserve report reveals that artificial intelligence isn't replacing human workers as quickly as predicted, with manufacturing and service industries in the New York region remaining largely secure from job displacement in the near term. Instead of mass layoffs, managers are increasingly choosing to retrain employees to work alongside AI systems, suggesting a collaborative rather than replacement model for the technology's integration into the workforce. What you should know: The human-AI partnership model is emerging as the dominant approach across industries, contradicting earlier predictions of widespread job elimination. Manufacturing and service sectors in the New York Federal Reserve...
read Sep 5, 2025Everyday low-skill upskilling: OpenAI and Walmart partner to train 10M people in AI by 2030
OpenAI has partnered with Walmart to launch an expanded certification program through its OpenAI Academy, aiming to train 10 million people in AI skills by 2030. The initiative comes as studies show AI-savvy workers command higher pay and productivity, positioning both companies to address the growing demand for AI literacy in the workforce. What you should know: OpenAI's Academy has already connected over 2 million people with AI learning resources and will now offer formal certifications across different skill levels. The certifications will range "from the basics of using AI at work all the way up to AI-custom jobs and...
read Sep 4, 2025Leaning into lean: Smarsh cuts support staff from 20 to 5 with Salesforce AI agents
Smarsh, a compliance and surveillance technology company serving over 6,200 customers including 18 of the top 20 global banks, has deployed Salesforce's Agentforce platform to power AI agents for customer support. The deployment represents a strategic shift for the company, which specializes in creating AI agents for compliance monitoring but is now leveraging Salesforce's expertise to enhance customer service operations while achieving significant efficiency gains. What you should know: Smarsh has implemented multiple AI agents through Salesforce Agentforce to automate various customer service functions, starting with knowledge base creation and expanding to customer-facing support. The company replaced its traditional customer-facing...
read Sep 4, 2025The ol’ standby: Companies hire freelancers to fix broken AI output they can’t use
Companies that initially replaced human workers with AI are now hiring freelancers to fix the subpar output generated by artificial intelligence systems. This emerging "slop fixer-upper" market spans creative fields, writing, and software development, revealing significant gaps in AI capabilities that require human intervention to address. What you should know: Freelancers across multiple industries are finding steady work correcting AI-generated content that companies can't use as-is. Lisa Carstens, a Spain-based illustrator, now spends much of her time fixing AI-generated logos with fuzzy lines and garbled text, sometimes requiring complete redraws that take longer than creating original designs. Freelance writer Kiesha...
read Sep 4, 2025Curiously, senior developers embrace AI coding tools more than juniors
A new survey by cloud services platform Fastly reveals that senior developers are embracing AI coding tools more enthusiastically than their junior counterparts, with over 70% reporting that AI makes programming significantly more enjoyable. The findings challenge assumptions about generational tech adoption, showing experienced programmers are leading the charge in AI-assisted development while maintaining critical oversight of machine-generated code. What you should know: Senior developers with over ten years of experience are using AI tools strategically to enhance productivity while leveraging their expertise to catch potential flaws. About one-third of senior developers now produce more than half their finished work...
read Sep 4, 2025AI skills boost salaries 28-43% across industries, including marketing, PR and science
Jobs requiring AI skills command salaries 28% to 43% higher than comparable positions without AI requirements, according to a new study from labor market research firm Lightcast. The premium extends beyond tech roles into marketing, research, and other industries, signaling that AI competency has become a valuable differentiator across the modern job market. What you should know: The salary boost varies based on the number of AI skills listed in job postings. Positions requiring just one AI skill offer average salaries 28% higher than those without AI requirements, translating to roughly $18,000 more per year. Jobs listing two or more...
read Sep 4, 2025AI voice tech and ambient AI help UK doctors stay ahead of schedule for first time in years
Ambient AI and voice recognition technologies are transforming healthcare workflows by automating documentation and streamlining administrative tasks for overwhelmed medical professionals. These advances are particularly impactful in UK general practice settings, where GPs can now dictate consultation summaries and referral letters directly into digital platforms, helping them stay ahead of schedule for the first time in years. The big picture: Healthcare professionals spend equal time documenting patient interactions as they do consulting with patients, contributing significantly to burnout and inefficiencies in primary care settings. How it works: Modern voice recognition systems use advanced AI to transcribe naturally spoken language in...
read Sep 4, 2025Like the 80s and personal computers, study finds women today are less likely to leap on AI tools
Artificial intelligence tools are reshaping workplaces at breakneck speed, but a significant gender divide is emerging in who's actually using them. New research reveals women are 22% less likely than men to adopt generative AI tools—a gap that could have lasting implications for career advancement, workplace productivity, and the future direction of AI development itself. The disparity spans nearly every industry, region, and job type, according to researchers from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley, who analyzed data from 18 studies covering more than 140,000 people worldwide. This isn't simply a matter of personal preference; it's a pattern...
read Sep 4, 2025US job cuts surge 66% as DOGE and AI reshape workforce, northeast corridor most affected
U.S. job cuts surged 66% year-over-year through August, reaching 892,000 announced layoffs—already exceeding 2024's total and marking the highest levels since the COVID-19 pandemic. The Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative has driven massive federal workforce reductions, while economic uncertainty and AI adoption continue reshaping employment across tech, finance, and retail sectors. The big picture: Government cost-cutting through DOGE has become the primary driver of job losses, with Washington D.C. seeing cuts triple to 294,696 positions this year. California leads states in private sector cuts with 135,241 layoffs, representing a 24% increase from last year. "After the impact...
read Sep 4, 2025An AI assistant for the nursing assistant: Nursa unveils time-saving scheduling tool with voice commands
Nursa has launched an AI-powered scheduling assistant that enables healthcare facilities to post nursing shifts within seconds using voice commands, photo uploads, or file imports. The tool, called Nursa Intelligence Assistant (NIA), addresses a critical bottleneck in healthcare staffing by automating the repetitive data entry that traditionally slows down shift posting for facilities managing hundreds of shifts monthly. How it works: NIA offers three methods for creating shift listings within Nursa's nationwide nursing platform. Healthcare coordinators can speak directly to the AI assistant, describing their shift requirements in natural language. They can photograph handwritten shift information or scheduling notes, which...
read Sep 3, 2025Fed study links AI adoption to rising unemployment in tech jobs, most notably computing and math
A new Federal Reserve study suggests the U.S. may be witnessing the early stages of AI-driven job displacement, with industries that adopted artificial intelligence most heavily now showing the highest unemployment increases. The research found a 0.57 correlation coefficient between AI adoption rates and rising joblessness, particularly affecting computing and mathematics professionals where AI usage reached nearly 80% while unemployment climbed 1.2% over three years. What you should know: The St. Louis Fed research examined unemployment changes between 2022 and 2025 across different sectors, correlating them with AI exposure rates to identify potential displacement patterns. Computing and math professionals experienced...
read Sep 3, 2025California launches statewide AI education workgroup for K-12 guidance for use by mid-2026
The California Department of Education has launched its first statewide Artificial Intelligence in Education Workgroup to develop guidance for safely integrating AI into K-12 public schools. This legislative initiative, stemming from Senate Bill 1288 passed in 2024, positions California among the first states to take a comprehensive, mandated approach to AI in education policy. What you should know: The workgroup is tasked with creating both guidance and model policies for AI use across California's school districts by mid-2026. At least half of the workgroup members are current classroom teachers, ensuring educator perspectives drive policy development. The group includes students, administrators,...
read Sep 3, 2025Onboard or get off board: Coinbase CEO fires engineers who refused to use AI coding tools
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has mandated that all software engineers use AI coding tools like Cursor and Copilot, firing employees who failed to comply with the directive by a set deadline. The cryptocurrency exchange now generates approximately 33% of its code using AI and aims to reach 50% by the end of the quarter, while expanding AI adoption beyond engineering into decision-making processes across the company. What you should know: Armstrong took a direct approach to enforcing AI adoption, personally meeting with engineers who hadn't onboarded the required tools. Engineers who failed to use AI coding tools by the deadline...
read Sep 3, 2025Americans are choosing AI-resistant – though not AI-proof – careers over automation-prone jobs
Americans are quietly reshaping their career aspirations in response to artificial intelligence, and the results reveal a fascinating pivot toward deeply human-centered work. New research into job search patterns shows people increasingly gravitating toward roles that require personal interaction, physical presence, and the kind of nuanced judgment that remains firmly in human territory. The findings suggest workers are becoming remarkably strategic about AI's employment impact, actively seeking careers that offer protection from automation while providing meaningful work. Rather than competing with machines, Americans appear to be doubling down on what makes them irreplaceably human. The methodology behind the findings MRPeasy,...
read Sep 2, 2025Animation industry divided on AI as creators fear job loss, reports entertainment data provider Luminate
A new report from Luminate, an entertainment data provider, reveals that generative AI has become a "divisive" topic within the animation industry, with creators and studios split on how to integrate AI-powered tools into production workflows. The findings underscore the growing tension between AI's potential to accelerate production and reduce costs versus concerns about creative integrity, job security, and ethical implications. Why this matters: Animation has emerged as a crucial content category for streaming platforms, with anime fans proving to be among the most engaged audiences across multiple platforms. Netflix's "KPop Demon Hunters" recently became the most-streamed original movie in...
read Sep 2, 2025Virginia colleges embrace faculty-led AI policies over campus-wide bans
Virginia colleges are adopting diverse approaches to artificial intelligence education, with most institutions allowing faculty to develop their own classroom AI policies rather than implementing campus-wide restrictions. This decentralized strategy comes as U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, Virginia's Democratic senator, recently warned local university presidents about potential job disruptions that AI may cause for college graduates, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive AI literacy programs. What you should know: Most regional institutions are taking a faculty-driven approach to AI integration rather than blanket institutional policies. Randolph College requires instructors to establish their own rules on generative AI use in their courses,...
read Sep 2, 2025Soft skills outperform tech expertise in AI-driven workplace, claims Harvard study
A new Harvard Business Review study reveals that soft skills like collaboration, adaptability, and mathematical thinking are more valuable for career advancement than specialized technical knowledge as AI reshapes the workplace. The research, conducted by scientists from Northwestern University and Harvard, analyzed millions of U.S. job data points from 2005 to 2019 and found that workers with strong foundational skills earn higher wages, advance faster, and adapt better to industry changes than those with deep technical expertise. The big picture: As AI accelerates workplace technology adoption, the "half-life" of specialized technical skills has plummeted from 10 years in the 1980s...
read Sep 2, 2025Bristol, UK council’s AI art on creative course guides sparks artist backlash
Bristol City Council sparked controversy after using AI-generated artwork on the cover of a course guide promoting adult creative learning classes, with local designers arguing the decision undermines the very skills being taught. The backlash highlights growing tensions between cost-cutting AI adoption and preserving opportunities for human creative professionals. What happened: Bristol City Council distributed 72,000 course guides in July featuring an AI-generated cover image to promote adult learning workshops, including creative classes. Illustrator Adam Birch complained that using AI to promote creative workshops "devalues" the classes being advertised. The AI-generated cover contained telltale errors, including a figure with only...
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