Welcome again to Week in Assessment. This week, we’re diving into the current layoffs at Meta; the fallout from the battle between WordPress and WP Engine; and whether or not Cybertrucks are just too massive to exist in Europe. Let’s get into it.
A number of groups at Meta had been hit by layoffs this week. The corporate confirmed the layoffs in a press release to TechCrunch and famous that the adjustments had been made to reallocate assets. The cuts reportedly impacted groups engaged on Actuality Labs, Instagram, and WhatsApp, although Meta declined to touch upon the file about what number of workers had been affected and what orgs they had been a part of.
AWS CEO Matt Garman has harsh phrases for distant employees: Return to the workplace or give up. The chief just lately advised workers who don’t like the brand new five-day in-person work coverage that “there are different firms round.” Final month, Amazon’s CEO Andy Jassy advised workers that there will likely be a full return-to-office beginning in 2025, a rise from three days for roughly the final yr.
Waymo gave software program engineer Sophia Tung promo codes totally free rides as an apology for the late-night honking she filmed over the summer time that was brought on by the self-driving vehicles. Nevertheless, when Tung realized the codes weren’t capped in worth, she tried to make use of her final one to journey in a Waymo for twenty-four hours. Her plans had been in the end reduce brief — however she did final a great 6.5 hours.
That is TechCrunch’s Week in Assessment, the place we recap the week’s largest information. Need this delivered as a publication to your inbox each Saturday? Join right here.
Information
Optimus will get some human assist: Movies from Tesla’s “We, Robotic” occasion confirmed Optimus mixing drinks, mingling with folks, and even dancing. Whereas seemingly spectacular, later experiences counsel the robots had been being remotely operated by people. Learn extra
ChatGPT involves Home windows: OpenAI has begun previewing a devoted Home windows app for ChatGPT. The corporate says the app is an early model, arriving forward of a “full expertise” later this yr. Learn extra
Too massive for Europe?: Tesla’s Cybertruck is dealing with blowback in Europe as transportation organizations counsel its outsized, sharp-edged design violates European security requirements and will endanger pedestrians, cyclists, and different motorists. Learn extra
Extra WordPress drama: Because the feud between WordPress and WP Engine wages on, an inside weblog put up revealed Automattic’s plan to implement the WordPress trademark utilizing “good and never good attorneys.” Learn extra
X needs to promote your information: An replace to X’s privateness coverage signifies it will permit third-party “collaborators” to coach their AI fashions on X information, until customers choose out. It implies the corporate is trying into licensing information to AI firms as a possible new income stream. Learn extra
Extra accessible smartphones: The FCC issued guidelines requiring all cell phones bought within the U.S. to be suitable with listening to aids. The information comes two years after the FDA made listening to aids out there to all People with out a prescription. Learn extra
Byju Raveendran speaks out: The founding father of the embattled edtech group Byju’s acknowledged that he made errors and that his startup, as soon as valued at $22 billion, is now successfully price “zero.” Learn extra
Casio’s ransomware assault: Japanese electronics big Casio confirmed that a lot of its methods stay unusable. The corporate sees “no prospect of restoration but” nearly two weeks after it was hit by a ransomware assault. Learn extra
CapWay shuts down: The Y Combinator-backed fintech that sought to convey monetary companies to these in banking deserts shut down after a attainable acquisition fell by way of, its founder Sheena Allen confirmed to TechCrunch. Learn extra
Can AI make us really feel much less alone?: AI-based psychological well being app Manifest needs to fight the “loneliness epidemic” affecting Gen Z by turning emotions into customized every day affirmations. Learn extra
Evaluation
The AI weapons debate: Silicon Valley is debating whether or not AI weapons within the U.S. ought to ever be absolutely autonomous — that means an algorithm would make the ultimate resolution to kill somebody. Some within the protection tech trade argue it’s essential to sustain with international competitors, however others imagine people ought to at all times make the ultimate name. As Margaux MacColl writes, the concern is that after one nation implements autonomous weapons, others may really feel pressured to comply with — and the moral implications are huge. Learn extra
