From January via August U.S. tech layoffs reached at the least 94,046, up 16.8% from 80,486 in the identical interval of 2025. Interestingly, and unsurprisingly, lots of the cuts got here as tech corporations redirected spending towards AI and restructured operations to cut back prices. The yr began off on a busy notice on the layoff entrance. After job cuts dropped sharply in December 2025 to five,151, they surged in January to over 20,000. May was significantly brutal. The month drove the year-to-date improve, recording 31,513 layoffs — together with Meta’s 8,000-job discount — the very best month-to-month rely since…
Author: vinodh
(*10*) This is a weekly characteristic that runs down the week’s Top 10 introduced funding rounds within the U.S. Check out final week’s largest funding deal roundup right here. This week delivered a bountiful provide of huge startup funding rounds, led by two $400 million financings for cybersecurity unicorns Island and Cyera. Rounding out the week had been massive financings for startups throughout scorching sectors, together with foundational AI, drug discovery, neurotech, and even rainmaking. 1. Island, $400M, cybersecurity: Island, a developer of instruments for safe enterprise digital operations, raised $400 million in Series F financing. Evolution Equity Partners led…
When Sajid Shariff returned to the Bay Area in 2024, he reconnected with folks he knew from his years working in hospitality. He requested what had modified since he left the business through the pandemic. The reply, he mentioned, was that motels have been nonetheless challenged by rising labor prices, staffing gaps and stress to usher in extra income. So Shariff supplied to construct an AI agent for a few properties. The first, referred to as Alfred, answered visitor questions and helped with check-ins and check-outs. Within 90 days, he mentioned, on-line opinions improved at each properties. He then started…
The measurement of a Series A spherical for a sizzling startup is on the rise. Moreover, lots of these jumbo early-stage rounds far exceed the $100 million threshold. Collectively, this group of Series A recipients has raised round $33 billion this yr, with not less than 12 rounds valued at $500 million or extra. An AI factor That determine encompasses a number of the yr’s largest early-stage financings. For occasion, it features a $1.2 billion spherical for Silicon Valley-based River AI, a platform for builders to coach and serve customized fashions, and a $900 million financing for China-based Xpeng Robotics,…
AI permits entrepreneurs to publish plenty of content material shortly. But maintaining with fact-checking and copy enhancing is usually a problem. And errors erode credibility.
OpenAI at the moment introduced it’ll supply the Government of Ukraine access to its Daybreak program to help the cyber defense of civilian infrastructure. Working with the Ministry of Digital Transformation, OpenAI will present Ukrainian groups with access to instruments to determine software program vulnerabilities and develop and check fixes extra shortly.The announcement was made on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly by Dmytro Kushneruk, the Consul General of Ukraine in San Francisco, and Sasha Baker, Head of National Security Policy at OpenAI.Ukrainian defenders face persistent cyber assaults from Russia, alongside bodily assaults on the nation’s infrastructure. Ukraine’s nationwide…
Baselayer, an AI-powered startup that helps monetary establishments confirm companies and assess fraud threat, has raised $35 million to develop its id expertise to AI brokers. M13 led the San Francisco-based firm’s Series A, with participation from Picus Capital, Torch Capital, Afore Capital and Matt Thompson of Socure. The financing brings Baselayer’s complete funding to about $40 million since its 2023 inception, in keeping with co-founder and CEO Jonathan Awad. The firm declined to reveal its valuation. Baselayer combines enterprise id, credit score and fraud information to assist banks, fintech firms and different financial-services suppliers consider potential prospects. It sells…
Most advertising groups have rolled out AI instruments. Far fewer have modified how they work with them of their jobs.
Using AI safely and successfully takes follow. People have to learn to apply it to the work in entrance of them, whether or not they’re enhancing a each day workflow, constructing a product, main a crew, or educating a category.At OpenAI, we deal with learning as a part of deployment. Today, we’re increasing OpenAI Academy with new programs for builders, leaders, educators, and faculty college students. These be part of Apply AI at Work, which helps folks construct foundational expertise, create repeatable workflows, and direct work with brokers.Together, the pathways assist organizations construct shared habits for working with AI and…
By Aaron Golbin Ten years in the past, a seed-stage startup wanted a product, a workforce and a pitch deck to lift capital. Today, that’s simply the beginning. Technology and technique have develop into inseparable, every fueling the opposite, and the foundations that when outlined success have quietly shifted below everybody’s ft. Last month, my agency reviewed greater than 2,500 inbound functions. Here are the important thing shifts we’re seeing within the startup ecosystem on the seed stage. Broadening capital technique Aaron Golbin of LvlUp Ventures. Equity is a strong device for constructing high-growth firms. But it’s now not the…