#ai

Apple Could Unveil Its Sub-1nm Chips In A Few Years, As TSMC Said To Fire Up Trial Production In 2029

https://wccftech.com/first-apple-sub-1nm-chip-arriving-in-few-years-tsmc-2029-trial-production-target/

(27 minute run time)

https://www.wsj.com/video/how-ibm-is-measuring-ais-real-impact-on-productivity/E30AB12D-6125-4C4C-AB92-050C534B46F2

By: Wall Street Journal |
March 26, 2026

Nickle LaMoreaux, chief human resources officer at IBM, discusses how the company is reimagining HR and the broader workforce through the lens of AI and experience-driven strategy.

Does anybody actually believe Shobhit found another role outside of citi and decided to leave on his own? Dude has only been at Citi for 8 months and was supposed to revolutionize AI at the bank with those amazing IBM insights (as if IBM knows anything about AI).

We need legislation that will force companies to pay money into unemployment benefits, equal to their profits if they choose to move the workforce offshore, or replace with AI. Why should 93% of America suffer so the 7% of stockholders can benefit?

I want to see what people on this board think about the impact of AI on our industry or specific roles/teams. I know that things are already happening and that there is no going back, it's not looking good. But I also thing that the impact is not going to be linear and that some parts will be affected more than others. What do you think and are you seeing it already. I am in Finance/planning so impacts have been limited so far but I can see situations where some of the low level work is completely done with AI.

Newly appointed Dan has a meeting in November in which he said “AI, AI, AI , coffee” and said he’d be announcing his plan in a future meeting. Other than AI and 15,000 layoffs, what is his plan? Can anyone articulate it? Not being facetious, would really like to know.

Verizon is currently conducting time and motion studies:

1. The Core Concept
   A "Time and Motion" study is a method used to determine the "standard time" it should take to complete a specific task.

Time Study: Measuring how long a technician takes to complete an install or repair (e.g., "30 minutes for a router setup").

Motion Study: Analyzing the steps or movements involved to find the most efficient way to do the work with the least amount of wasted effort.

1. Modern Application: Verizon Connect
   In 2026, Verizon doesn't just use stopwatches; they use AI-driven software. Their "Time and Motion" data is captured through:

GPS & Telematics: Tracking "dwell time" (how long a van is parked at a customer’s house) to see if the work matches the scheduled duration.

Planned vs. Actual (PVA) Reporting: Comparing how long a job should have taken versus how long it actually took.

Breadcrumb Trails: Seeing the physical route and movements of a technician to eliminate "dead miles" or inefficient routing.

1. Why Verizon Uses It
   Verizon uses this data for three main reasons:

Labor Standards: Setting realistic quotas for technicians so they aren't overworked, but also aren't idle.

Customer ETAs: Providing you with a "the tech will be there between 1:00 and 3:00" window based on real-time data of how long previous jobs are taking that day.

Cost Reduction: Identifying where time is being wasted—such as a technician having to return to the warehouse because they didn't have a specific part (a "motion" error).

1. Technician Perspective
   If you are a Verizon employee, "Time and Motion" is often the metric used to evaluate your productivity. It measures your "wrench time" (actual work) versus your travel time and breaks. High-performing techs are those whose "actual" times consistently align with the "standard" times determined by these studies.

Roles are going to Poland or AI.… “too much work” that’s what they say. Now they track how long we are active, production expectations through the roof, people getting ROD or PIP…. I heard June and July. Possibly FIU first?

Fact's -

The Fed under Chairman Jerome Powell since January 2026 has printed an additional $125.0 Billion in currency to prop-up the U.S. economic-financial system.

Fed money printing over time since 2009 does add to the (current) U.S. National debt of $39.1 Trillion (and rising) with a (current) debt-to-GDP ratio of 124.87% (and rising).

Note - The U.S. taxpayer pays the Interest on the U.S. National debt (each year) to other Investors that finance it (U.S. based, Japan; China; etc.).

Interest paid on the U.S. National debt (just surpassed $1.02 Trillion a year per usdebtclock).

To think that the Unemployment rate approaching 15.0% through AI workforce disruption through 2027 (at least) wouldn't cause (Very significant) damage to the U.S. economy is ludicrous.

It (actually) easily could.

These are the facts.

I FINALY RELEASED WHAT THE MOTO MEANS.

I heard this moto many times in All hands meetings, they essentially say "Do More with less" in the context of AI, to encourage you to feed your work details to AI so they can train capable models to replace you eventually.

BUT from talking to many engineers in EMEA, which haven't seen a promotion in years now despite having good reviews.

SAP has been keeping a close eye on how Joule and AI agents are being used within the company. They also track the time employees spend and the links they click on SAP product pages. Layoffs are on the horizon, and they’ll be viewed positively if they demonstrate AI efficiency. It’s easier for the executive board and HR to justify cutting 10% of the workforce by claiming that Joule has made us more efficient. This narrative is the best SAP can present at Sapphire. To enhance this story, Sapphire's theme revolves around two main points. First, we have a wealth of data on employee performance, which is stored in a global repository for decision-making. Performance Management majes it easier of course. Second, AI can analyze raw data to generate insights and recommendations that boost operational efficiency. Although these algorithms are complex, AI agents simplify resource management for 'managers' because of their conversational skills. Now, here’s the kicker: SAP has improved efficiency by reducing its workforce by 10%. That’s a significant win for the Sapphire narrative. In fact, over the past few months, SAP has been promoting SuccessFactors AI and HR-related application AI, with management constantly focusing on operational efficiency.

So why is there skepticism about layoffs? Our executive board has openly stated their desire for layoffs and aims to make the transition tough for employees. The funds for executive bonuses and share buybacks aren’t coming from customers, so they have to come from the workforce. Since customers aren’t buying into the narrative, SAP needs to provide the proof using substantial layoffs. That is the only way the share price will go up and some gullible customers will help improve SAP's cloud backlog.

https://hoodline.com/2026/04/oracle-plugs-san-jose-ai-data-centers-into-massive-bloom-energy-power-deal/

Oracle is locking in a mountain of electricity for its AI ambitions, signing on for up to 2.8 gigawatts of Bloom Energy fuel-cell power to feed its data-center buildout. An initial 1.2 GW is already under contract and is being rolled out across Oracle projects this year and through 2027. The deal highlights how the AI bo-m is forcing cloud giants to secure their own on-site power instead of waiting in line for slow utility interconnections.

Some of the employees that were recently laid off due to “AI” are being replaced by previous DISH employees in Boulder with no AI experience and a new title at Qualcomm. Sounds like the new CIO is bringing in ex-DISH employees to replace perfectly good San Diego employees.

https://fortune.com/2026/04/08/gen-z-workers-sabotage-ai-rollout-backlash/

This guy doesn’t know jack fu--ing sh-t about AI. This Town Hall was the worst I’ve ever seen from this incompetent sack of sh-t.

Tell us to implement AI when we’re blocked by D-mb and D-mber Legg and Markus on any actual use case. Can’t wait to get laid off because Legg tripled the Azure bill to accomplish nothing but tell shareholders “AI”.

Thank god ask AT&T has a PDF to podcast generator though, that surely creates value.

Upon examining our retail outlets, I am compelled to express my reservations regarding the investment made in these products. The design appears to be a marketing strategy, potentially conceived by a marketing professional masquerading as a retailer. It is highly probable that these items are underperforming on a substantial scale. This raises the question of why we engage in such investments while simultaneously laying off genuine talent. There is no way these stores will ever compete with Apple. Now that Apple has rumored the imminent release of its AI glasses, it is only a matter of time before this becomes another failure.

Is a reduction of workforce at Nike a bad thing? Revenue growth will come from productivity growth. More efficient teams. Motivated teams. AI. A reduction is not a bad if done right. And, to what I can see, 90% of the time, the right choices are being made.

From modest background, Arvind Krishna is the kind of immigrant success story people should actually talk about more. He came to the U.S., built his career through skill and discipline, and rose to become CEO of one of the most important technology companies in the world. No shortcuts, no noise—just execution. At a time when leadership gets questioned constantly, he’s focused on long-term strategy, AI innovation, and keeping IBM steady. That’s what real success looks like: earn it, build it, and lead with substance.

No more RIF for next 8 months from Oracle but expect some performance based layoffs in mid-year. Here are the things you should note

1. Keep minimum 2 projects in your portfolio
2. Ensure you work with your customers. (don't rely on your lead or manager for inputs)
3. Maintain good relationship with your manager peers
4. Talk less. Don't share your stuff with anyone.

5. If project is not viable or repetitive, just move on

   AI is helpful for you to deliver things quickly but makes you d-mb in outside market. You get into a loop always without reason because AI does the reasoning for you.
   Use AI to remain competitive to deliver in project but don't rely on it for ever. Remember management will push AI usage to automate your work completely and stabilize it.
   Once project is stabilized you are out of game.

Here’s the real situation on Qualcomm layoff rumors right now — what’s confirmed, what’s circulating internally, and what’s just speculation.

🔍 What’s Confirmed (Public, Verifiable)

These are not rumors — they’re official:

• A small WARN filing (5 employees) in San Diego for May 26, 2026
• Previous rounds in 2024–2025:• 226 employees across 16 San Diego sites
• Earlier 1,250+ cuts less than a year before

• Qualcomm continues targeted, small-scale reductions as part of its shift away from smartphone dependency toward AI PCs, automotive, and edge compute

These are documented and not rumor-driven.

🔄 What’s Rumored (Inside the Industry)

These are circulating in semiconductor circles, but not confirmed by filings or press:

1. “More micro‑layoffs coming in San Diego”

• Several engineers report that Qualcomm may continue small WARN filings (5–20 people) throughout 2026
• Pattern matches the April 2026 filing
• These would be team-specific, not company-wide

1. “Modem teams may shrink again”

• Because Apple is reducing reliance on Qualcomm modems
• Some internal chatter suggests select modem sub-teams could be trimmed
• No official documents yet

1. “AI PC push is causing internal reshuffling”

• Snapdragon X Elite and AI PC roadmap are pulling resources
• Rumor: some legacy teams may be merged or dissolved
• This usually leads to role eliminations or reassignments

1. “Automotive division hiring while other groups freeze”

• Not layoffs, but a shift in headcount allocation
• Some groups feel “frozen” while auto/AI groups continue hiring
• This often precedes targeted cuts

🧭 What’s NOT Happening (Despite Online Speculation)

These rumors are false or exaggerated:

• ❌ No evidence of a large mass layoff
• ❌ No sign of a 10%+ workforce reduction
• ❌ No confirmation of layoffs tied to the rumored Intel acquisition exploration
• ❌ No broad hiring freeze across the company

Qualcomm is doing surgical, strategic cuts, not sweeping layoffs.

📌 Why Rumors Are Spreading Now

Three reasons:

1. Smartphone demand is still soft
2. AI PC transition is expensive
3. Qualcomm is reallocating talent, which always creates anxiety inside engineering teams

When a company shifts strategy, rumors fill the gaps before official announcements.

Can only imagine the BOD/Vz C-Level circlej--kgoing on before Q1 reporting!

CFO has to be using AI to put lipstick on this Pig!

The RAA team is pushing AI as a blue chip goal. Do not be shocked if this leads to layoffs.

Sam Altman recently formalized these ideas in an April 2026 policy blueprint titled "Industrial Policy for the Intelligence Age." Here are the primary examples of how he proposes AI should be taxed.

Therefore Oracle Employee should get their free Salaries from the Government soon.

CK warned Thursday that the company’s AI transition would be as painful as its shift to the cloud.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-10/sap-extends-chief-people-officer-contract-after-bonus-complaints

Citi is saving 100,000 hours per week in the KYC area after implementing AI technology. Approximately 2,500 FTEs will be impacted.

Article....

https://futurism.com/future-society/ai-enterprise-workers-survey

_

The street can't be fooled. . .

https://www.barrons.com/articles/ibm-stock-worst-year-since-2002-buy-rating-8cf1a185

By: Mackenzie Tatananni |
April 10, 2026, 4:05 pm EDT

Key Points

• IBM’s stock fell nearly 22% in 2026, yet one analyst initiated a Buy rating with a $285 price target.
• Originally a maker of mechanical accounting machines and punch-card systems, IBM was an early entrant in personal computers.
• IBM’s reach spans database systems, app developer tools, and other multimodal computing environments that process and analyze several different types of data.

International Business Machines may be reeling from a protracted slump in software stocks, but its “uncanny ability” to pivot through generational tech shifts has one analyst convinced that Big Blue is far from obsolete.

IBM is a storied tech giant, but it hasn’t been immune to a selloff that began in earnest at the start of the year. The stock has fallen nearly 22% in 2026, marking IBM’s worst start to a year since 2002, when it was down 26% over the same period.

But while many investors may have soured on IBM, some analysts have hope. One cheerleader is Citi Research analyst Fatima Boolani, who initiated coverage on the stock at Buy with a $285 price target on Friday.

Shares slid 2.5% to $231.25 on Friday as AI disruption fears crept into investor consciousness yet again. Boolani’s price target suggests the stock could rise 23% from current levels.

The analyst’s bullish thesis is rooted in IBM’s demonstrated ability to survive cycles of technological change. Originally a maker of mechanical accounting machines and punch-card systems, IBM was an early entrant in personal computers, though it ultimately pivoted to IT consulting before the turn of the 21st century.

All this history speaks to its “uncanny ability to consistently reinvent itself through multiple, generational, and paradigm-shifting tech and computing cycles,” Boolani wrote. After nearly 100 years in business, IBM’s software and hardware are entrenched “across the most critical points of the world’s largest, most complex IT infrastructures.”

Evercore ISI analyst Amit Daryanani raised a similar point last month, when he noted that IBM’s customers have remained with the company despite “ample opportunities to migrate off of mainframe.” The phenomenon is referred to as stickiness, meaning a brand’s ability to retain customers and encourage repeat purchases.

Today, IBM’s reach spans database systems, app developer tools, and other multimodal computing environments that process and analyze several different types of data. It’s “yet another advantage IBM can bring to bear in enabling, scaling, and governing production AI systems that will necessarily need to be scaffolded atop existing IT architectures,” Boolani wrote.

The debate continues around the risk of AI-native companies replacing enterprise software providers persists. However, IBM’s deep connections and consulting experience with the world’s biggest companies offer “competitive insulation,” the analyst continued. In fact, those same AI players might use IBM as a bridge to help them sell their own technology to enterprises.

IBM’s capital intensity is also notably lower than that of hyperscalers and cloud infrastructure providers, which merits a more attractive forward free cash flow multiple, Boolani wrote. The stock’s underperformance versus the broader megacap tech group, which has lost around 10% this year, “appears punitive to us, considering the scope of positive profitability revisions ahead.”

And of course, IBM’s quantum computing prospects are another way for the company to differentiate itself. Although the technology remains in its infancy, there has been tremendous technical progress over the past year alone. IBM is on track to deploy its most powerful system to date in 2029.

“Quantum presents an important call option for the long-term investment case,” Boolani wrote, citing IBM’s reputation as a leader in the space. The technology’s monetization potential is “becoming more tangible,” and IBM’s existing pedigree and entrenchment within the public sector serve as a launchpad for growth.

Here’s our estimates on Walmart layoff activity for the next several months based on data we’ve collected. Some dates are specific and some are general. That’s due to business intelligence that either stands out, or, doesn’t stand out.

Here’s some facts that drive our estimates this time:

• April through August are traditionally high layoff times for Walmart
• Imbedded quiet days in April/May to allow for Q1 End, Q1 Reporting and Memorial Day.
• Project and budget reviews reveal considerable expense and capital saving opportunities do exist
• New capital projects to support AI are under consideration, including some eye popping infrastructure projects. All these projects will need to be funded
• There’s a considerable amount of tech outsourcing available (at favorable rates) to assume and run current systems
• Renewed focus on removing shadow IT projects and resources across the enterprise

Here’s our take on dates:

• [ ] 4/13 thru 4/28 increases to 70% likelihood of layoffs
• [ ] 5/6 thru 6/25 100% likelihood
• [ ] 6/30 thru 7/28 90% likelihood
• [ ] 8/4 thru 8/27 90% likelihood

Don’t agree? Tell us why.

AI is just the excuse they hide behind, ridiculous as it may sound.

A lot of managers in STS pushing all team members irrespective of their roles to showcase AI Agents and other AI stuff they have created and are using. A lot of boot-camps happening as well. Are they planning to cut roles soon?

Aka: Get CenturyLink Out

This new "division" is nothing more than Lumens strategic AI vision in real time. The targeted guinea pigs for testing AI solutions within a real working environment... the AI trainers.

This has been mentioned prior and foo-foo'd as fodder. Again, the future of AI lies on corporations bottom line, meaning: the AI sellers, promoters, builders & enablers need to show how ROI is achieved!

GCO is the Truman Show, just watch it all play out. Corporate is going to condition you as "a part of the growth side", which you are, but what role??? Not a philosopher, all the informational and transformational crumbs over the last 2 years have led to this very moment! Training the replacement for 90% of Lumen human jobs, while the other 10% work along side their Virtual AI agent. Pay for educated upskill has just been deleted and the people left will be ramrodded and burnt out... but you all should be proud of your efforts for advancing the bigger cause of proving how ROI will be achieved from an Operations standpoint.

What a joke, planned a internal system migration for April 1st and time booking codes have still not been issued 2 weeks later. Where has AI gone? Customers are laughing at this Mickey Mouse so called AI company who can't get their own processes to work. On top of this there is no urgency to resolve this P2 issue. Total incompetence of the highest level, someone should be fired for this.

Oracle initiated layoffs impacting remote workers in the Seattle area. A total of 491 employees in Washington state operations are affected. The company announced these job cuts on April 10, 2026. Affected employees will see their jobs end on June 1. Oracle cited its AI infrastructure and cloud strategy as factors.

Seattle, Washington

https://nationaltoday.com/us/wa/seattle/news/2026/04/10/oracle-layoffs-hit-remote-workers-in-seattle/

Very positive article, as it's nearly proof-of-concept that we're one step closer to getting executives completely replaced by AI bots.

• IBM's Dave McCann is using an AI agent to prepare for client meetings.
• He said "Digital Dave" helps him save five hours a week by eliminating 30-minute prep calls.
• Companies from tiny startups to the biggest firms are building AI agents to take on routine work.

https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-agent-saving-ibm-consulting-leader-hours-every-week-2026-4

By: Tim Paradis |
Apr 9, 2026, 1:06 PM CT

Dave McCann oversees thousands of humans, and also an AI agent he named after himself: Digital Dave.

One of the most valuable things it does is conduct research, including on the company's customers. That's a big help for McCann, who, as a global managing partner for transformation at IBM Consulting, is responsible for thousands of clients, including Nestlé, Ericsson, and Riyadh Air.

The agent — it's actually a collection of AI agents and assistants — scans McCann's calendar for client meetings and drafts a list of 10 things he needs to know for each one. The goal, McCann told Business Insider, was to free up time he and his staff spent preparing for the meetings.

Under the old setup, people on his team would put together a briefing document with him and typically have a 30-minute prep call ahead of the client meeting.

"All that's now gone," said McCann, who is tasked with helping transform the global IBM Consulting business, which has nearly 150,000 employees.

He generally talks with about 10 clients a week, so the agent saves him roughly five hours of prep time, McCann said.

"All the time I used to invest in client prep, I can now see more clients," he said.

Freeing up the team

McCann's research agent, which he and his team began building this past fall, is based on a tool that a group at the company had started to develop as part of an annual internal competition.

The agent reviews in-house data, what IBM and the client are doing in the market, external data, and account details — such as project status and services sold and purchased, McCann said. It can also identify industry trends and client needs by, for example, reviewing a firm's annual report and identifying a corresponding service IBM could provide.

Digital Dave also saves McCann's team time, he said, because the three or four staffers who used to spend hours pulling together insights for the prep calls are now free to do other work.

"It's not just about driving efficiencies, but it's really about transforming how work gets done," McCann said.

The agent's research abilities aren't limited to client reports. McCann has also begun using it to help him assess the hundreds of IBM Consulting partners he evaluates each year. The goal, he said, is making informed decisions and giving the execs good advice about their strengths and weaknesses as part of their performance evaluation.

McCann said the data the agent reviews can include the services execs sold and the profits they generated, the training they provided, and the impact they had on their teams' development. Before the agent, he said, his approach involved perhaps a dozen spreadsheets culminating in "the worst pivot table of your life."

Now, McCann said, all of the data goes into a model, and he can ask pointed questions and make queries about top performers in a particular parameter.

'That multiplier effect'

One benefit of building agents, McCann said, is that IBMers who develop them can share them with others on their team or more broadly within the company, "so it immediately creates that multiplier effect."

Many of the people who report to him have created agents, he said. There's a healthy competition, McCann said, to engineer the most robust digital sidekicks, especially because workers can build off of what their colleagues created.

Across industries, companies are developing AI agents to take on knowledge work — especially tedious tasks — once handled by humans. From one-person startups to consulting giants, firms are using agents across functions such as HR, IT, finance, communications, and training.

Agents can handle a range of functions, including gathering information, processing paperwork, drafting communications, taking meeting minutes, and pulling research. It's still early, but these systems are quickly becoming a major focus of corporate AI efforts as companies look to turn generative AI into something that can actually take work off employees' plates.

One challenge McCann sees with clients and building agents is having access to data. IBM Consulting's most advanced clients — maybe a Fortune 100 or Fortune 500 company — might have given access to data to several hundred people, but not to 5,000 people in their finance division or 10,000 people in HR, McCann said. Concerns about security and how to manage the innovation can be roadblocks.

Until you unlock the data, individual workers might be able to get more done, but "you don't get that multiplier effect of the productivity," he said.

For McCann's work, Digital Dave means that he gets critical time back on his calendar.

"I can have much more focused attention out with our clients and with our humans while I have the operations of the business now being run more digitally," he said.

"This is not any reflection of the strength of our business. We have the biggest opportunity in Pendo history ahead of us. We are setting ourselves up to move at a faster speed to capitalize on it," said CEO Todd Olson in a statement. "We've been in a process of 'refounding' Pendo over the past six months as the technology landscape has changed dramatically. We had many of the largest companies in the world here, and they consider Pendo mission-critical infrastructure as they build agents, build with agents, and change how they work with AI. These operational changes are necessary to help us move faster and meet the needs of these companies as they transform."

https://abc11.com/post/pendo-layoffs-ai-tech-firm-nc-announces-job-cuts-raleigh-part-company-wide-restructure/18857051/

I am asked to post "team-journal" every day bullsh-t confluence posts on what i do.

Apparently this is the "future" way, not real work, not real tasks.

I got a massive AI slop task which look like epic, then i read it and half is hallucination.... most of all now they asked me to pull some strange repo and talk with devin to post my "diary" to confluence.

When will this medical experiment end?

Meta unveiled new AI-powered ad products at its NewFronts presentation. This presentation occurred amidst significant legal challenges for the company. A Los Angeles jury found Meta liable in a social media addiction case. Separately, a New Mexico jury ordered Meta to pay $375 million for child exploitation. Meta also confirmed laying off several hundred employees across various divisions.

https://www.adweek.com/media/meta-newfront-2026-legal-layoffs-ai/

AI has been a really really hot topic at the company in the last month. Obviously it’s been a hot topic at the org for a few years now but they seem to really be pushing it extra hard the last month. Got word we are now in a hiring freeze of sorts and any role looking for backfills will now be reevaluated on if AI can take the place of that role. Are we headed towards another big layoff due to “automation” in the next few months? Been saving extra hard lately for fear of not having a job soon. Anyone hear of anything about layoffs soon?

I received an automated email recently that said, in part:

"License Management
Because M365 licenses are limited and high demand,the company expects all licensed employees are expected to demonstrate consistent usage by engaging with licensed M365 Copilot on an average of at least 3 days a week.

Usage is monitored, and unused licenses may be reassigned. Learn more: M365 Copilot usage expectations and license reallocation. Thank you for helping ensure M365 licenses are used effectively and deliver value across the organization."

I suspect this automated email was triggered because I am below the 3-day usage threshhold. Does anyone know how much attention managers are paying to this metric and if it really matters/if I should be trying to get this number up.

I'm not reflexively anti-AI, I've just found it personally not very useful for doing the things I'm tasked with. I get zero value from asking copilot to reword emails (which is how mycoworkers mainly seem to use it). At most I use it here and there to get a reminder on how to structure an excel formula, or to summarize a document. Which is not a 3-days a week thing.

I personally dont care if they yank my m365 copilot subscription but I also dont want to unnecessarily end up on management's radar as not an Ai adopter. I can fake it and start using copilot for bullsh-t but wondering how much it actually matters