News/Talent Trends
Women-led VC firm raises $55M for AI healthcare innovation
Black Opal Ventures, a women-led venture capital firm founded by MIT alumni Dr. Tara Bishop and Eileen Tanghal, has secured funding from major institutions including Eli Lilly, Bank of America, and JPMorgan to invest at the intersection of frontier technology and healthcare innovation. The firm's success comes at a time when female-founded companies received just 2.1% of U.S. venture capital in 2024, demonstrating how specialized expertise and strategic positioning can break through traditional funding barriers. The big picture: Black Opal represents a rare combination in venture capital—women leaders with deep domain expertise targeting the convergence of cutting-edge technologies like AI,...
read Sep 18, 2025Korean tech giants move AI research to Silicon Valley amid work restrictions
Korean AI robotics companies are relocating their research operations to Silicon Valley to access top-tier talent, with Samsung, LG, and Hyundai establishing or expanding facilities in the region. This exodus reflects growing concerns about Korea's restrictive research environment, which industry experts say could undermine the government's ambitious goal to become a global leader in "physical AI" despite plans to invest $4.3 billion over five years. The talent exodus: Major Korean conglomerates are betting their robotics future on Silicon Valley expertise rather than domestic capabilities. Samsung Research America hired Kris Hauser, a University of Illinois professor with awards from IEEE and...
read Sep 16, 2025Google cuts 200+ elite AI contractors amid unionization efforts
Google has laid off more than 200 contractors who work on improving its AI products, including Gemini and AI Overviews, in at least two rounds of cuts last month. The layoffs come amid an ongoing dispute over pay, working conditions, and alleged retaliation against workers attempting to unionize at outsourcing company GlobalLogic, which is owned by Hitachi. What you should know: These AI raters are highly skilled contractors responsible for training Google's chatbots and search features to provide more human-like responses. Most raters are required to have master's degrees or PhDs and include writers, teachers, and creative professionals who evaluate...
read Sep 16, 2025Menlo Ventures promotes Deedy Das to partner after just 1 year
Menlo Ventures has promoted Deedy Das to Partner, recognizing his rapid impact on the firm's AI investment strategy since joining in 2024. The elevation reflects Menlo's aggressive push into AI investing, where Das has co-launched a $100M fund with Anthropic and backed 35 startups while helping establish the firm as a leading early-stage AI investor. What you should know: Das made an unusually fast ascent to partner level, achieving the promotion in just over a year at the firm. He co-launched the $100M Anthology Fund with Anthropic, the AI safety company behind the Claude chatbot, and has already backed 35...
read Sep 12, 2025Musk fires 9 senior xAI employees who managed hundreds amid Grok antisemitic scandals
Elon Musk appears to be conducting mass layoffs at xAI, with at least nine high-level employees from the data annotation team behind Grok being terminated over the weekend. The firings come amid ongoing controversies surrounding the AI chatbot, including incidents where Grok generated antisemitic content and racial slurs, raising questions about whether this represents accountability for the platform's failures or broader cost-cutting measures. What happened: Slack screenshots leaked to Business Insider reveal that accounts for multiple senior employees overseeing xAI's human data management were deactivated, affecting those who managed the company's 1,500-person "AI tutor" team responsible for training Grok. The...
read Sep 12, 2025Apple AI executive Robby Walker exits amid talent exodus to Meta
Apple's senior AI executive Robby Walker is departing the company next month, marking another high-profile exit from the tech giant's artificial intelligence division. Walker's departure underscores growing concerns about Apple's cautious AI strategy as the company struggles to keep pace with competitors in what could be the industry's most significant growth opportunity in decades. What you should know: Walker has been a key figure in Apple's AI efforts, most recently serving as senior director of the Answers, Information and Knowledge team since April 2024. He previously managed Siri until earlier this year, when responsibility for the voice assistant was transferred...
read Sep 12, 2025Pickford AI casts 5 SAG actors including “Last of US” alum for interactive murder mystery series
Pickford AI has cast five SAG-AFTRA voice actors for "Whispers," an interactive murder mystery series that allows viewers to communicate directly with characters during the investigation. The project represents one of the first major productions to use SAG's newly established AI protocols, potentially setting a precedent for how talent is compensated as artificial intelligence becomes more prevalent in entertainment. What you should know: The interactive series breaks from traditional storytelling by letting audiences influence a murder mystery investigation in real-time. • Voice actors Stephen Chang ("The Last of Us," "Bosch Legacy"), Tohoru Masamune ("Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," "Never Have I...
read Sep 12, 2025Anthropic moves on inner circle, doubles DC workforce as AI policy chief warns of massive change ahead
Anthropic is planning a major Washington D.C. expansion, doubling its employee count and opening an official office by 2026 to prepare lawmakers for AI's accelerating impact on American industries. The company's head of policy Jack Clark warns that current AI developments are "small potatoes compared to where it'll be in a year," positioning this as a critical moment for policymaker education ahead of the 2026 midterms and 2028 presidential election. Why it matters: Anthropic believes AI is moving too fast for policymakers to keep up, with Clark describing the challenge of communicating exponential technological change as "almost without precedent." Clark...
read Sep 11, 2025Swim team? Old news! All-girls underwater robotics team raises $2K through community raffle.
The Clarkston P.E.O. FE Chapter has partnered with ECH Science, an all-girls underwater robotics team, to promote women's education through a fundraising raffle. The collaboration highlights growing community support for encouraging girls to pursue STEM careers through hands-on robotics and engineering programs. What you should know: ECH Science brings together girls from different schools and communities who share a passion for science, technology, engineering, and math. The team explores new concepts through hands-on outreach activities and competitive challenges, applying scientific and engineering processes in real-world scenarios. They have become a local role model and inspiration for others in the community...
read Sep 11, 2025To LEGO, and beyond! Over 1,200 students compete in California FIRST robotics challenge DECODE
Over 115 California high school engineering teams gathered at La Cañada High School for the FIRST Tech Challenge DECODE season kickoff on September 6, drawing more than 1,200 participants and family members. The event launched this year's robotics competition, where students design and build robots to compete in challenges that prepare them for STEM careers through hands-on engineering experience. What you should know: FIRST Tech Challenge is a global nonprofit program that engages students ages 4-18 in team-based robotics competitions designed to build future-ready skills. Teams work with mentors throughout the year to design, build, and program robots for competition....
read Sep 11, 2025Young VCs, like young coders, question industry involvement
Dawn Capital partner Shamillah Bankiya warns of an "exodus" of young venture capitalists from the industry as the end of the 2022 bull run and AI's impact reshape investment dynamics. The 34-year-old, who becomes a full equity partner this week, believes the industry may be returning to its "artisanal roots" after years of excess, with young investors increasingly questioning whether venture capital remains the fastest path to wealth. The big picture: The venture capital industry is experiencing a significant talent drain as market conditions tighten and AI transforms traditional investment practices. Research by Pitchbook shows the number of active venture...
read Sep 10, 2025Jared Kushner founds AI consulting startup Brain Co. with $30M funding
Jared Kushner has cofounded Brain Co., an AI consulting startup that helps large corporations and governments implement artificial intelligence solutions across their operations. The company emerged from stealth with $30 million in Series A funding and has already secured deals with major clients including Sotheby's and Warburg Pincus, positioning itself to capitalize on the widespread struggle businesses face when trying to deploy AI effectively. The founding team: Kushner partnered with prominent tech investor Elad Gil and former Mexican foreign minister Luis Videgaray to launch the San Francisco-based startup in 2024. The company has around 40 employees and maintains a strategic...
read Sep 10, 2025Musk, meet dust: Oracle’s Ellison becomes world’s richest person as AI boom lifts stock 40%
Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle, has surpassed Elon Musk as the world's richest person, with his wealth reaching $393 billion compared to Musk's $385 billion. The shift comes after Oracle shares soared more than 40% following the company's surprisingly optimistic outlook for its cloud infrastructure business and AI deals, while Tesla stock has declined amid investor concerns over the Trump administration's EV policy changes. What drove the change: Oracle's stock surge directly boosted Ellison's net worth, which is closely tied to the company he co-founded five decades ago. Oracle projected that revenue from its cloud business will jump 77% this...
read Sep 9, 2025EFF’s executive director steps down after 25 years of digital rights advocacy
Cindy Cohn announced Tuesday that she is stepping down as executive director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation after 25 years with the digital rights organization. The departure of Cohn, who has led EFF since 2015, marks the end of an era for one of the most influential voices in the fight for online privacy and digital freedoms during a critical period of tech expansion and government surveillance. What you should know: Cohn's tenure at EFF spans some of the most significant battles over digital rights in the internet age. She first gained prominence as lead counsel in Bernstein v. Department...
read Sep 9, 2025Apple plays down AI messaging at iPhone 17 event amid talent exodus
Apple dramatically scaled back AI messaging at its iPhone 17 event, offering only brief mentions of Apple Intelligence features during the 75-minute presentation. This marked a sharp contrast to last year's iPhone 16 launch, where AI dominated the conversation but led to public disappointment when promised features failed to materialize on schedule. The big picture: Apple positioned AI as a behind-the-scenes enabler rather than a consumer-facing headline feature, focusing more on hardware improvements and how machine learning powers core functionality. What you should know: The company emphasized technical infrastructure over flashy AI capabilities throughout the event. Executives highlighted how an...
read Sep 9, 2025Citigroup hires IBM veteran as new AI head to accelerate banking transformation
Citigroup has appointed Shobhit Varshney, a longtime IBM executive, as its new head of AI to accelerate the bank's artificial intelligence initiatives across its operations. The hire signals Wall Street's intensifying race to integrate AI deeper into banking, as Citi joins competitors like JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs in deploying AI tools to automate routine work and boost efficiency. What you should know: Varshney joins from IBM, where he led data and AI for the consulting business across the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. He will report to Chief Operating Officer Anand Selva and work closely with Chief Technology Officer David...
read Sep 9, 2025UK 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, 2025Notre Dame wins university’s Presidential Award for AI governance framework
The University of Notre Dame's AI Enablement Team has been honored with the Presidential Team Irish Award for successfully establishing the university's artificial intelligence infrastructure and governance framework. The collaborative effort between the Office of Information Technology and Hesburgh Libraries has positioned Notre Dame as a leader in responsible AI adoption across higher education. What you should know: The team created comprehensive AI capabilities and ethical guidelines that now serve the entire Notre Dame community. They developed secure access to generative AI tools while establishing clear best practices for ethical use and data protection. The team built a foundational campus...
read Sep 8, 2025Stanford professor returns to handwritten exams…at students’ request
Stanford computer science professor Jure Leskovec made a surprising pivot two years ago, switching from open-book, take-home exams to handwritten, in-person tests in response to the rise of AI tools like GPT-3. The change came at the request of his students and teaching assistants, who wanted a way to genuinely assess knowledge without AI assistance, highlighting the complex challenges educators face as artificial intelligence reshapes academic evaluation. What happened: Leskovec, a machine learning researcher with nearly three decades of experience, found himself grappling with an "existential crisis" among students when GPT-3 launched publicly. Students questioned their role in a world...
read Sep 5, 2025Hell no, RTO: Amazon’s 5-day office policy hurts AI talent recruitment
Amazon's strict five-day return-to-office policy is hampering its ability to recruit top tech talent, according to internal documents and recruiter accounts obtained by Business Insider. The policy, which requires employees to work in designated "hub" offices or face termination, is particularly limiting Amazon's access to high-demand professionals with generative AI skills—a critical area where the company is racing to maintain competitiveness. What you should know: Amazon's aggressive RTO stance is creating measurable recruitment challenges that extend beyond typical workplace flexibility concerns. The company's hub strategy is listed as one of the "hotly debated topics" among recruiters, specifically limiting their ability...
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, 2025UK’s Alan Turing Institute CEO resigns amid staff revolt and £100M funding threat
Jean Innes, chief executive of the UK's Alan Turing Institute, is stepping down after facing a staff revolt and government demands for strategic change. Her resignation follows mounting pressure from employees who filed whistleblower complaints and intervention from Technology Secretary Peter Kyle, who called for new leadership to refocus the AI research body on defense and national security. What you should know: The Alan Turing Institute has been in turmoil since last year, with widespread staff discontent over organizational changes and strategic direction. A group of employees filed a whistleblower complaint to the Charity Commission last month, warning that £100...
read Sep 3, 2025Ad agencies invest $250M+ in AI as core business strategy
Marketing and advertising firms reported a unified strategic pivot during second-quarter earnings, with industry leaders converging on three critical priorities: embedding artificial intelligence throughout their operations, deepening client partnerships amid economic uncertainty, and investing heavily in talent transformation. The synchronized approach across major agencies like Publicis Groupe, Interpublic Group, WPP, and Dentsu signals a sector-wide recognition that traditional advertising models must evolve to survive increasingly complex market dynamics. The big picture: Artificial intelligence has moved from experimental tool to core business infrastructure for marketing agencies, with companies viewing AI integration as fundamental to their competitive positioning. Arthur Sadoun, CEO of...
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