Google and Amazon, two tech giants in the industry, have recently laid off a significant number of employees in an effort to streamline operations and cut costs. Google has reportedly laid off “hundreds” of workers in its Google Assistant division, affecting teams working on the development of the AI assistant and knowledge and information products. This comes as a blow to the company, which had been using its AI chatbot Bard to enhance the features of Google Assistant.
Similarly, Amazon has also made cuts, letting go of hundreds of employees from its Prime Video and MGM Studios businesses. The reasons cited for the layoffs are a combination of company performance and product-related factors. Earlier this week, Amazon’s live streaming platform, Twitch, also saw 500 employees being laid off. In the past year, both Google and Amazon have carried out significant layoffs to address cost-cutting measures during the post-pandemic economic slowdown.
One area of competition between the two companies is the cloud segment, with Amazon’s AWS and Google Cloud vying for market share. Additionally, Google is currently engaged in a heated race with Microsoft in the generative AI space. These layoffs may reflect an effort by both companies to consolidate and reallocate resources to remain competitive and ensure long-term sustainability.
In other AI news, OpenAI has launched its GPT Store, a marketplace within its ChatGPT chatbot, which allows users to discover and build AI models customized for tasks such as teaching and designing. OpenAI aims to capitalize on the success of ChatGPT and create a platform for developers to monetize their AI applications. Initially available to paid users, the GPT Store will enable creators to earn incentives for their models. OpenAI also plans to introduce ChatGPT Team, a version of the chatbot tailored for enterprise use, ensuring data security and charging a monthly fee per user.
Meanwhile, a report by Global Risks presented at the World Economic Forum highlights the immediate risk of AI-generated misinformation and disinformation to the global economy and democracy. With the potential to exacerbate existing issues and create new ones, the rapid advancement and accessibility of AI technology put it in the hands of anyone, endangering society. This topic is set to take center stage at the upcoming Davos meeting, where tech leaders like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, and Meta AI’s Yann LeCun will be in attendance.
The source of the article is from the blog revistatenerife.com