Columbia Student Suspended for Leaking Disciplinary Hearing, Not AI Cheating Tool

2025-03-27
Columbia Student Suspended for Leaking Disciplinary Hearing, Not AI Cheating Tool

Columbia University suspended a student for leaking a disciplinary hearing recording and photos of Columbia staff to social media, not for creating an AI tool that helps job candidates cheat on technical interviews. The student, Chungin "Roy" Lee, created Interview Coder, an AI tool that sells for $60 a month and projects $2 million in annual revenue. While Lee argued that technical interviews are outside the university's purview, Columbia deemed his actions academic dishonesty, resulting in a one-year suspension. Lee plans to move to San Francisco.

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Development Academic Dishonesty

The Rise of Tabletop RPGs: How Dungeons & Dragons Is Combating Loneliness

2025-03-27
The Rise of Tabletop RPGs: How Dungeons & Dragons Is Combating Loneliness

Starting from a board game café in New York City, a group of twenty-somethings transformed their Dungeons & Dragons hobby into a thriving Twitch channel, "The Bards of New York," boasting thousands of followers. Their success mirrors the exploding popularity of tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs), especially Dungeons & Dragons. Once a niche hobby, D&D now boasts tens of millions of players, spawning movies, TV shows, and lucrative streaming careers. The article highlights how TTRPGs not only provide entertainment but also foster strong communities, combating loneliness and enhancing creativity and problem-solving skills—a particularly valuable aspect in a post-pandemic world.

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Dell Sheds 25,000 Jobs, Bets Big on AI

2025-03-26
Dell Sheds 25,000 Jobs, Bets Big on AI

Dell has cut 25,000 jobs globally over the past two years, a 19% reduction. This is linked to restructuring, layoffs, and Return-to-Office (RTO) mandates. Dell says these moves are to become a leaner company and prioritize investments in AI. While revenue grew 8% in fiscal 2024, Dell's stock is down 15% in 2025, and CEO Michael Dell's net worth has fallen by $16.6 billion. Notably, Dell maintains its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion practices.

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Tech

Mistral CEO: Nations Must Build Their Own AI Infrastructure to Avoid Economic Dependence

2025-03-24
Mistral CEO: Nations Must Build Their Own AI Infrastructure to Avoid Economic Dependence

Mistral CEO Arthur Mensch argues that AI will have a double-digit impact on every country's GDP in the coming years. He urges nations to build independent AI systems to avoid economic dependence on others, likening it to the importance of building electricity factories a century ago. He sees AI not just as technology, but as a vehicle for cultural and societal values, requiring greater involvement. Mistral, a rapidly growing European AI company, is focused on developing open-source large language models, competing with companies like OpenAI, and boasts faster model speeds. Mensch is a strong advocate for open-source, believing it accelerates AI development, a principle that guided Mistral's creation.

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Amazon's Jassy Slams Bureaucracy, Pushes for Meritocracy

2025-03-22
Amazon's Jassy Slams Bureaucracy, Pushes for Meritocracy

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy is aggressively streamlining management layers and bureaucracy. He emphasized that promotions aren't about building large teams, but about efficient execution. He urged employees to act like owners, stay competitive, and use a dedicated "No Bureaucracy" email alias to report unnecessary processes. Over 375 changes have already been implemented based on employee feedback. The goal is to increase efficiency, fostering a more startup-like environment focused on customer experience and meritocracy, rather than size of team.

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Y Combinator CEO: 'Vibe Coding' Reshapes the Startup Landscape

2025-03-18
Y Combinator CEO: 'Vibe Coding' Reshapes the Startup Landscape

Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan believes "vibe coding," using AI for programming, is enabling startups to remain lean and efficient. He suggests that smaller teams can now accomplish large-scale projects with AI assistance, encouraging struggling young engineers to "vibe code" and build their own startups. Tan notes that roughly 81% of Y Combinator's current batch are AI companies, with 25% having 95% of their code generated by LLMs. While AI debugging remains a challenge, "vibe coding" dramatically increases software development speed, allowing small teams to achieve significant success in niche markets, potentially generating hundreds of millions in annual revenue.

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Startup vibe coding

Canada Re-evaluates F-35 Contract Amidst Strained US Relations

2025-03-16
Canada Re-evaluates F-35 Contract Amidst Strained US Relations

Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair announced a review of Canada's contract with Lockheed Martin for the purchase of F-35 fighter jets. This comes amidst rising tensions between Ottawa and Washington, following Portugal's similar reconsideration of the F-35 purchase. Canada initially planned to buy 88 jets for C$19 billion, but Blair stated Prime Minister Trudeau has directed an examination of alternatives, including potential assembly in Canada. The decision is linked to concerns over President Trump's protectionist trade policies and strained US-Canada relations.

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Tech Defense

Tesla's European Sales Plummet 45%, Outpaced by Chinese Automakers

2025-02-25
Tesla's European Sales Plummet 45%, Outpaced by Chinese Automakers

Tesla's European sales plunged 45% in January, reaching only 9,945 vehicles and a market share of 1%, significantly lower than last year's 1.8%. This contrasts sharply with a 34% increase in overall European EV sales. Chinese automakers like SAIC Motor (sales up 37%, market share at 2.3%) and BYD (outsold Tesla in the UK for the first time) are outperforming Tesla. Tesla's Berlin factory is undergoing a Model Y production line revamp, which might contribute to the sales decline. Elon Musk's recent involvement in European politics, endorsing Germany's far-right AfD party, may also have negatively impacted the brand, sparking public backlash and protests.

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Gig Workers Earned Less in 2024 Despite Increased Hours, Report Finds

2025-02-22
Gig Workers Earned Less in 2024 Despite Increased Hours, Report Finds

A new report reveals that gig workers for platforms like Uber, Instacart, and others saw a decrease in average earnings in 2024, even as their hours worked increased in some cases. Uber drivers experienced a 3.4% drop in weekly earnings to $513, while working 0.8% more hours. Lyft drivers saw a steeper 13.9% pay decline, despite a 5.4% reduction in hours. Instacart shoppers also faced an 8% pay cut. While DoorDash and Amazon Flex saw earnings increases, these were accompanied by significant increases in working hours. Only Favor showed a notable increase in pay alongside a decrease in hours worked. The report highlights the significant reliance on tips for delivery workers, contrasting with ride-sharing drivers. Despite this, consumer surveys indicate continued use of these services.

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German Navy Ships Sabotaged, Raising Concerns About Russia

2025-02-14
German Navy Ships Sabotaged, Raising Concerns About Russia

Germany's Inspector of the Navy announced Tuesday that multiple German warships were sabotaged. This follows a report by Süddeutsche Zeitung detailing metal shavings found in the engine system of a new corvette. While not explicitly accusing any party, the naval chief warned of a growing threat from Russia. The incidents follow a string of suspicious fires and explosions at German ammunition facilities and factories, raising concerns about potential Russian involvement and the escalating threat to German and NATO security. Investigations are ongoing, but the sabotage points to a potential deliberate act of aggression.

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Shein, Temu, and the US De Minimis Tax Rule: A Looming Showdown

2025-02-02
Shein, Temu, and the US De Minimis Tax Rule: A Looming Showdown

The meteoric rise of Shein and Temu has thrust the US de minimis tax rule—which exempts shipments under $800 from duties and taxes—into the spotlight. Critics argue it fosters unfair competition and potentially allows banned goods entry. While both Shein and Temu claim support for reform, provided it's fair, Congressional bills aiming to alter or eliminate the rule face uncertain futures. Experts suggest the rule's unlikely demise soon, with many retailers adopting a 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em' strategy, seeking ways to leverage it for cost reduction.

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Instagram's Million-Dollar Play to Poach TikTok Creators

2025-01-28
Instagram's Million-Dollar Play to Poach TikTok Creators

Meta, Instagram's parent company, is aggressively courting TikTok creators with contracts worth up to $300,000 to lure them to Instagram Reels. These deals require creators to post exclusive short-form videos on Instagram, adhering to specific posting schedules and exclusivity terms. However, some creators are rejecting the offers, citing the demanding terms, such as the requirement to post 25% more content on Reels than on any other platform. This highlights the challenges Meta faces in its bid to challenge TikTok's dominance in the short-form video market.

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Tech

Ellison: AI-Powered Surveillance Will Keep Citizens in Line

2025-01-25
Ellison: AI-Powered Surveillance Will Keep Citizens in Line

Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison envisions a future where AI powers a massive surveillance system, constantly monitoring citizens to ensure "good behavior." This system would analyze data from various sources, including police body cameras, security cameras, and even doorbell cameras. Ellison also predicts AI drones replacing police cars in high-speed chases. While highlighting potential improvements in policing, his comments raise significant concerns about privacy and the potential for societal control.

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Zuckerberg: AI to Replace Mid-Level Meta Engineers

2025-01-13
Zuckerberg: AI to Replace Mid-Level Meta Engineers

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently predicted that AI will replace the work of mid-level software engineers at the company by 2025. He envisions AI handling coding tasks, leading to cost savings for Meta. This statement has sparked considerable debate, with concerns about potential widespread job displacement. These announcements follow Meta's plans to replace third-party fact-checkers with community notes and scale back Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives.

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LinkedIn: The Anonymous Whistleblower Platform for Workplace Bullying?

2025-01-12
LinkedIn: The Anonymous Whistleblower Platform for Workplace Bullying?

A growing number of employees are bypassing HR and publicly sharing their experiences of workplace bullying on LinkedIn. Lawyer Stefanie Costi's post, viewed millions of times, exposed the prevalent toxic work culture, the ineffectiveness of HR departments, and the struggles employees face in seeking help. The article explores the reasons behind this phenomenon and how employees, HR, and companies should address workplace toxicity. Some experts warn that public complaints may backfire, suggesting employees try internal channels first; others argue that LinkedIn has become a vital community platform, allowing employees to support each other and drive improvements in the workplace environment.

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Turo Car-Sharing App Implicated in Las Vegas Explosion and New Orleans Attack

2025-01-02
Turo Car-Sharing App Implicated in Las Vegas Explosion and New Orleans Attack

A Tesla Cybertruck rented through the Turo car-sharing app exploded in Las Vegas, killing one and injuring seven. Separately, a pickup truck rented via Turo was used in a deadly attack in New Orleans, resulting in 15 fatalities. President Biden ordered an investigation into a possible connection between the two incidents. Turo stated it's cooperating with law enforcement but hasn't found a link and admits it cannot fully verify all renter identities. The events raise serious questions about Turo's safety protocols and background checks, highlighting inherent risks in the sharing economy.

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Klarna Halts Hiring, CEO Claims AI Can Do All Jobs

2024-12-17
Klarna Halts Hiring, CEO Claims AI Can Do All Jobs

Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski has claimed that AI can already perform all jobs currently done by humans, leading the fintech company to halt hiring a year ago. The company's workforce has shrunk from 4,500 to 3,500 employees through attrition. While Klarna's website still advertises open positions, a spokesperson clarified that the company is not actively recruiting to expand but filling essential roles, mainly in engineering. This announcement has fueled concerns about AI's impact on the job market.

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Tech Employment