News/Talent Trends
Entrepreneurs earn $700K+ with AI businesses without ever showing their faces
A new generation of entrepreneurs is building six-figure businesses using AI tools while remaining completely anonymous, challenging traditional notions of personal branding and business building. This "faceless automation" model allows creators to generate substantial revenue streams through AI-generated content and digital products without ever appearing on camera or building a personal following. Key success stories: Two British entrepreneurs exemplify this emerging business model's potential. Gregory Cooke, a 27-year-old who previously ran a 42-employee digital agency, generated over $700,000 in revenue by May 2024 using a simple PDF created with ChatGPT and Canva, paired with automated sales funnels—all without showing his...
read Jun 25, 2025“But where’s the AI?” Law firms must now prove artificial intelligence skills to win clients
AI is transforming client expectations of law firms, with companies now requiring legal service providers to demonstrate how they integrate generative artificial intelligence with human expertise in their proposals. This shift is fundamentally changing how lawyers work, train, and compete for business, forcing both law firms and in-house legal teams to navigate complex new relationships between human experts and digital tools. The big picture: Law firms must now prove their AI capabilities to win business, with clients evaluating how firms blend technology with legal expertise rather than just traditional legal skills. Ashurst recently won a competitive pitch specifically because of...
read Jun 23, 2025Not taking the bait: LinkedIn’s AI writing tool flops as professionals fear reputation damage
LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky revealed that the platform's AI-powered writing assistant for posts has proven less popular than expected, attributing the lukewarm reception to users' concerns about maintaining their professional reputation. The insight highlights how career-focused social platforms face unique challenges in AI adoption, as professionals prioritize authentic content over AI-generated efficiency when their reputation is at stake. What they're saying: Roslansky explained the tool's limited appeal during a Bloomberg interview, emphasizing the professional stakes involved. "We have an ability where you write a post on LinkedIn," Roslansky said. "We are not going to write it for you from scratch,...
read Jun 23, 2025Failing upward: Expelled student’s AI startup raises $15M with “cheat on everything” slogan
Andreessen Horowitz has led a $15 million funding round for Cluely Inc., an AI startup that markets itself with the controversial slogan "cheat on everything." The investment signals the venture capital firm's willingness to back provocative AI companies, even those with founders who have faced academic consequences for creating tools designed to circumvent traditional systems. What you should know: The startup's 21-year-old co-founder Roy Lee was expelled from Columbia University earlier this year for developing Interview Coder, an AI tool that helped job candidates cheat during technical interviews.• Lee responded to his expulsion with characteristic irreverence, posting on LinkedIn: "I'm...
read Jun 19, 2025Experts split on “vibe coding” as developers trust AI without oversight
"Vibe coding," a term coined by AI researcher Andrej Karpathy four months ago, describes a hands-off approach to AI-assisted programming where developers let AI generate code without constant oversight or manual tweaking. The concept has sparked debate among software engineering experts about the balance between AI autonomy and human understanding in code development, with implications for how developers will work alongside increasingly capable AI systems. What you should know: Vibe coding represents a fundamental shift from traditional AI-assisted programming by encouraging developers to step back and trust AI systems to handle code generation independently. Unlike standard AI-assisted coding, vibe coding...
read Jun 19, 2025“Learn to code” is nonsense says risk analyst, as computer science grads face 6.1% unemployment
Risk analyst Ian Bremmer declared that "learn to code" has become worse career advice than "get a face tattoo," citing AI's rapid displacement of programming jobs during a recent appearance on "Real Time with Bill Maher." His stark assessment reflects a dramatic reversal in the tech job market, where recent computer science graduates now face higher unemployment rates than those who studied journalism, political science, and English. The unemployment reality: Recent data from the New York Federal Reserve reveals computer science and engineering majors are struggling more than expected in today's job market. Computer science majors face a 6.1% unemployment...
read Jun 19, 2025Meta in talks to hire former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman for AI push
Meta is in talks to hire former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman to join the company's artificial intelligence efforts, according to a report from The Information. The social media giant is also discussing bringing on Daniel Gross, Friedman's partner in investment fund NFDG, and potentially acquiring a partial stake in their fund as part of a broader push to strengthen its AI capabilities. What you should know: Meta's recruitment efforts target two prominent figures in the tech investment world who could bolster the company's AI development. Nat Friedman previously served as CEO of GitHub, a popular platform where software developers store...
read Jun 18, 2025Tribeca Studios partners with OpenAI for 2026 AI filmmaker program
Tribeca Studios, the film production arm of the renowned Tribeca Festival, has partnered with OpenAI to launch an AI-integrated short film program for the 2026 Tribeca Festival, selecting two filmmakers to create live-action shorts using OpenAI's artificial intelligence tools. The collaboration builds on last year's successful Sora Shorts initiative and positions Tribeca at the forefront of AI-enhanced filmmaking, offering selected participants funding, training, and mentorship alongside access to cutting-edge AI technology. What you should know: The year-long program will culminate with premieres at the 2026 festival, accompanied by discussions about AI's role in filmmaking. Selected filmmakers will receive comprehensive support...
read Jun 18, 2025Newsweek names 38 companies as winners in first AI Impact Awards
Newsweek has announced the winners of its inaugural AI Impact Awards, recognizing 38 companies across 13 categories for their innovative use of artificial intelligence. The awards highlight how AI is transforming industries from healthcare to finance, with companies being celebrated for solving practical challenges through responsible AI implementation. What you should know: The competition drew entries from diverse sectors, with a panel of 56 expert judges evaluating submissions based on real-world impact and innovation. Healthcare led with five winners, followed by education with four recipients. Every Cure, a nonprofit identifying new uses for FDA-approved medications, won both the overall Best...
read Jun 18, 2025Hands off! Meta offers $100M signing bonuses to poach OpenAI talent
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed that Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has offered $100 million signing bonuses to recruit his company's employees, highlighting the intense competition for top AI talent. The aggressive recruitment strategy reflects Meta's push to build its superintelligence unit and catch up with competitors in the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence landscape. What they're saying: Altman disclosed the recruitment attempts during an appearance on the Uncapped podcast hosted by his brother. "They (Meta) started making giant offers to a lot of people on our team," Altman said. "You know, like $100 million signing bonuses, more than that...
read Jun 17, 2025Scale AI CEO joins Meta to lead new superintelligence unit after $14B deal
Alexandr Wang, the 28-year-old CEO and co-founder of Scale AI, is leaving his position to head up a new superintelligence unit at Meta following the company's $14 billion investment in Scale AI. The move represents Meta's aggressive push to catch up in the commercial AI race after being outpaced by competitors like OpenAI and Google, with Wang bringing crucial insights from his role at the data-labeling company that has worked with many of Meta's rivals. Why this matters: Meta has largely watched from the sidelines as other tech giants dominated AI development, particularly after its failed Metaverse gambit during the...
read Jun 17, 2025Amazon invests $10B in North Carolina AI infrastructure, creating 500 jobs
Amazon has announced a $10 billion investment to build AI and cloud infrastructure across North Carolina, marking one of the largest investments in the state's history. The massive expansion will create at least 500 high-skilled jobs in Richmond County while supporting thousands more in construction and the broader AWS supply chain, positioning North Carolina as a critical hub for AI data center operations. What you should know: Amazon's investment represents a significant escalation in the company's North Carolina presence, building on more than a decade of expansion in the state. Since 2010, Amazon has invested $12 billion in North Carolina,...
read Jun 16, 2025Calling all concerned: EU recruits AI safety experts to enforce world’s first major AI law
The European Union Commission has opened applications for researchers to join an expert advisory panel that will guide the implementation of the AI Act, particularly focusing on the safety requirements for general-purpose AI systems. The initiative reflects the EU's commitment to establishing robust scientific oversight as it moves from AI regulation on paper to practical enforcement. What you should know: The EU AI Office is seeking qualified researchers to provide technical expertise on one of the world's most comprehensive AI regulatory frameworks. Applicants must hold a PhD or demonstrate equivalent professional experience in relevant fields. The panel will specifically advise...
read Jun 16, 2025AI steps out with LVMH awards for 3 innovative luxury retail startups
LVMH announced the winners of its ninth Innovation Award during Paris's Viva Tech conference, recognizing three AI-powered startups for solutions developed within the luxury conglomerate's ecosystem. The awards highlight how artificial intelligence is transforming luxury retail through hyper-personalization, content creation efficiency, and sustainability initiatives, with companies like L'Oréal simultaneously announcing major AI partnerships with NVIDIA. What you should know: This year's competition focused specifically on projects with measurable ROI within LVMH's brand portfolio, marking a shift toward more business-focused innovation. Best Business Prize went to US-based Kahoona for its collaboration with Dior, delivering real-time predictive audience segmentation that "took personalized...
read Jun 16, 2025Builder.ai built real AI tech before collapse, ex-engineers confirm
A viral claim that Builder.ai "faked AI with 700 engineers" following the startup's bankruptcy has been debunked by former employees who confirm the company actually built legitimate AI systems. The misinformation originated from an unverified social media post and was amplified across major publications, potentially damaging the career prospects of engineers who worked on genuine AI technology. What actually happened: Builder.ai developed Natasha, a legitimate AI-powered code generation platform that used large language models like GPT and Claude to automate software development tasks. A team of approximately 15 engineers built the core AI system, with the broader AI team reaching...
read Jun 16, 2025Y Combinator’s spring cohort features 70 agentic startups. Here are the 10 most intriguing.
Y Combinator's inaugural spring cohort delivered exactly what Silicon Valley was hoping for: a surge of AI agent startups ready to transform how businesses operate. The legendary startup accelerator, which has launched companies like Stripe, Airbnb, and DoorDash, made its priorities clear when it issued a call earlier this year for founders building "agentic" AI—software systems that can think, reason, and perform complex tasks autonomously without constant human oversight. The response was overwhelming. Of the 144 companies selected for YC's spring 2025 batch, 70 focus on building AI agents, according to the accelerator's startup directory. This represents nearly half of...
read Jun 13, 2025Benvenuto a bordo: Italian newspaper adds ChatGPT as permanent editorial team member
Italian newspaper Il Foglio has integrated ChatGPT as a permanent editorial contributor, running a month-long experiment with daily AI-written inserts before committing to regular AI-generated content. Editor Claudio Cerasa treats the chatbot as a colleague rather than a replacement tool, positioning the publication at the forefront of transparent AI adoption in journalism while other outlets struggle with undisclosed AI usage and fabrication scandals. The big picture: Il Foglio's approach demonstrates how news organizations can harness AI transparently rather than hiding its use, contrasting sharply with recent disasters like American papers publishing AI-generated content filled with fake sources and fabricated information....
read Jun 12, 2025Nearly 50% of Y Combinator’s Spring 2025 startup batch builds AI agents
The new AAA is "All About Agents." Y Combinator has reached a new milestone in its AI focus, with 67 of the 144 startups in its Spring 2025 batch—nearly 50%—building AI agents or tools for creating them. This represents both a significant increase from previous cohorts and a clear signal of where the startup ecosystem is heading, as the famed accelerator continues to reflect broader market trends while commanding premium valuations that have some investors reconsidering their approach. The big picture: YC's AI agent concentration has grown from 58 out of 163 companies in Winter 2025 to 67 out of...
read Jun 11, 2025Google names first chief AI architect to bridge research-product gap
Google has appointed Koray Kavukcuoglu, Google DeepMind's chief technology officer, as its first chief AI architect, a new senior vice president role reporting directly to CEO Sundar Pichai. The position reflects Google's push to better translate its leading AI research capabilities into successful consumer products, as the company faces mounting pressure to compete with rivals like OpenAI while maintaining its dominant search business. What you should know: Kavukcuoglu will oversee how Google integrates its Gemini AI models across the company's product portfolio while maintaining his current CTO role at DeepMind. The former aerospace engineer joined DeepMind in 2012 as a...
read Jun 10, 2025SAG-AFTRA secures AI guardrails in tentative video game contract deal
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), Hollywood's union for video game performers, has reached a tentative contract agreement with major video game companies that could end an 11-month strike over artificial intelligence protections. The strike, which began in July 2024, centered on performers' concerns that unregulated AI could be used to replicate their voices and likenesses without consent, potentially displacing human talent in the gaming industry. What you should know: The tentative deal includes AI guardrails that SAG-AFTRA says will protect performers' livelihoods in the digital age. Union members struck against major gaming companies including...
read Jun 10, 2025UK launches £17M Sparck AI scholarships for 100 master’s students
The UK government has launched the Sparck AI scholarships, a £17 million program that will provide fully-funded master's degrees to students at nine universities, including the University of Bristol. Named after pioneering British computer scientist Karen Sparck Jones, the scholarships aim to develop the next generation of AI "pioneers" and strengthen the UK's position in artificial intelligence. What you should know: The program combines academic study with direct industry experience to create a comprehensive AI talent pipeline. Applications open in spring 2026, with the first cohort beginning studies in autumn 2026. All 100 scholars receive full funding covering both tuition...
read Jun 10, 2025Pentagon cuts AI weapons testing staff by half amid military AI adoption
The Pentagon is cutting the Department of Defense's Office of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation in half, reducing staff from 94 to 45 people and replacing its director. This move eliminates crucial independent safety testing for AI and weapons systems at a time when the military is rapidly integrating AI technologies across all operations, potentially compromising safety oversight in favor of faster deployment. What you should know: The Office of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation serves as the final checkpoint before military technologies reach the battlefield. • Established in the 1980s by Congress after weapons performed...
read Jun 10, 2025Meta forms dedicated AGI team as AI competition intensifies
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is assembling a new team of experts focused on achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI), according to Bloomberg News. This strategic move signals Meta's renewed commitment to competing in the race toward advanced AI capabilities, though the company has not provided details about the team's size, timeline, or specific objectives. What you should know: The report comes from Bloomberg News, with Reuters noting they could not immediately verify the information independently. The big picture: Meta's decision to form a dedicated AGI team reflects the intensifying competition among major tech companies to develop more advanced AI systems that...
read Jun 5, 2025Lose ’em and use it: IT workers replaced by AI as boards pressure CEOs
The wave of tech layoffs is reshaping the IT workforce landscape as companies increasingly replace human workers with AI. Over 314,000 tech jobs have been eliminated since 2024, with corporate leaders under pressure to cut workforce costs by 20% while implementing AI solutions. This trend represents not just temporary cost-cutting but a fundamental restructuring of the digital labor economy, creating winners and losers in the rapidly evolving job market. The big picture: Corporate boards are pushing CEOs to slash workforce costs by 20%, expecting AI to handle the eliminated positions while preparing for a possible recession. Camille Fetter, CEO at...
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