Geoffrey Hinton, often called the godfather of AI, has warned that the technology could soon trigger mass unemployment, particularly in white-collar roles. In a recent podcast interview, he said AI will eventually replace most forms of intellectual labour.
According to Hinton, jobs requiring basic reasoning or clerical tasks will be the first to go, with AI performing the work of multiple people. He expressed concern that call centre workers may already be vulnerable, while roles requiring physical skills, like plumbing, remain safer for now.
Hinton challenged the common belief that AI will create more jobs than it eliminates. He argued that unless someone has highly specialised expertise, they may find themselves outpaced by machines capable of learning and performing cognitive tasks.
He also criticised OpenAI’s recent corporate restructuring, saying the shift towards a profit-driven model risks sidelining the public interest. Hinton, alongside other critics including Elon Musk, warned that the changes could divert AI development from its original mission of serving humanity.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has signalled that more job cuts are likely as the company embraces AI to streamline its operations. In a letter to staff, he said the adoption of generative AI is driving major shifts in roles, especially within corporate functions.
Jassy described generative AI as a once-in-a-lifetime technology and highlighted its growing role across Amazon services, including Alexa+, shopping tools and logistics. He pointed to smarter assistants and improved fulfilment systems as early benefits of AI investments.
While praising the efficiency gains AI delivers, Jassy admitted some roles will no longer be needed, and others will be redefined. The long-term outcome remains uncertain, but fewer corporate roles are expected as AI adoption continues.
He encouraged staff to embrace the technology by learning, experimenting and contributing to AI-related innovations. Workshops and team brainstorming were recommended as Amazon looks to reinvent itself with leaner, more agile teams.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Meta has reportedly attempted to lure top talent from OpenAI with signing bonuses exceeding $100 million, according to OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman.
Speaking on a podcast hosted by his brother, Jack Altman, he revealed that Meta has offered extremely high compensation to key OpenAI staff, yet none have accepted the offers.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is said to be directly involved in recruiting for a new ‘superintelligence’ team as part of the latest AI push.
The tech giant recently announced a $14.3 billion investment in Scale AI and brought Scale’s CEO, Alexandr Wang, on board. Altman believes Meta sees ChatGPT not only as competition for Google but as a potential rival to Facebook regarding user attention.
Altman questioned whether such high-compensation strategies foster the right environment, suggesting that culture cannot be built on upfront financial incentives alone.
He stressed that OpenAI prefers aligning rewards with its mission instead of offering massive pay packets. In his view, sustainable innovation stems from purpose, not payouts.
While recognising Meta’s persistence in the AI race, Altman suggested that the company will likely try again if the current effort fails. He highlighted a cultural difference, saying OpenAI has built a team focused on consistent innovation — something he believes Meta still struggles to understand.
Would you like to learn more aboutAI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
The preliminary injunction, issued on 6 June by Judge Denise Cote, cited a strong likelihood that OPM and DOGE violated both the Privacy Act of 1974 and the Administrative Procedures Act.
The lawsuit, led by the Electronic Frontier Foundation and several advocacy groups, alleges that OPM unlawfully disclosed information from one of the largest federal employee databases to DOGE, a controversial initiative reportedly linked to billionaire Elon Musk.
The database includes names, social security numbers, health and financial data, union affiliations, and background check records for millions of federal employees, applicants, and retirees.
Union representatives and privacy advocates called the ruling a significant win for data protection and government accountability. AFGE President Everett Kelley criticised the involvement of ‘Musk’s DOGE cronies’, arguing that unelected individuals should not have access to such sensitive material.
The legal action also seeks to delete any data handed over to DOGE. The case comes amid ongoing concerns about federal data security following OPM’s 2015 breach, which compromised information on more than 22 million people.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
President Lee Jae-myung is making his first major diplomatic appearance at the G7 summit in Canada, just two weeks into office. The trip marks a reset of South Korea’s foreign policy, focusing on pragmatic diplomacy prioritising national interest.
Officials say the visit aims to restart high-level talks after six months of stagnation, and could include a pivotal meeting with US President Donald Trump. Trade tensions, defence costs and the future of US troops in South Korea are expected to dominate any bilateral agenda.
Lee is also preparing for potential talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba as his administration tests its strategy amid rising US-China rivalry. A trilateral summit is considered, adding further weight to this diplomatic debut.
The summit’s outcome could influence Lee’s political standing at home, where leaders have often used foreign success to strengthen domestic reforms. However, failure to secure tangible results could expose the new administration to early criticism.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
OpenAI faced a significant infrastructure strain after its GPT-4o image generator went viral for producing Ghibli-style memes. The sudden influx of user demand added a million new users in under an hour, putting immense pressure on the company’s systems.
CEO Sam Altman admitted that OpenAI had to slow feature rollouts and borrow computing power from its research division to keep the service running. The platform temporarily introduced rate limits as it coped with overloaded GPUs.
Altman described the situation as unprecedented, saying no other company has had to manage such intense viral spikes. He noted that image generation with GPT-4o requires significant compute resources, which the company could not fully meet with its current GPU inventory.
Despite the challenges, Altman maintained that OpenAI is committed to managing high user demand while continuing development. The company is also considering watermarking the AI images created by free users to help manage scale and traceability.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
In a new blog post titled The Gentle Singularity, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman predicted that AI systems capable of producing ‘novel insights’ may arrive as early as 2026.
While Altman’s essay blends optimism with caution, it subtly signals the company’s next central ambition — creating AI that goes beyond repeating existing knowledge and begins generating original ideas instead of mimicking human reasoning.
Altman’s comments echo a broader industry trend. Researchers are already using OpenAI’s recent o3 and o4-mini models to generate new hypotheses. Competitors like Google, Anthropic and FutureHouse are also shifting their focus towards scientific discovery.
Google’s AlphaEvolve has reportedly devised novel solutions to complex maths problems, while FutureHouse claims to have built AI capable of genuine scientific breakthroughs.
Despite the optimism, experts remain sceptical. Critics argue that AI still struggles to ask meaningful questions, a key ingredient for genuine insight.
Former OpenAI researcher Kenneth Stanley, now leading Lila Sciences, says generating creative hypotheses is a more formidable challenge than agentic behaviour. Whether OpenAI achieves the leap remains uncertain, but Altman’s essay may hint at the company’s next bold step.
Would you like to learn more aboutAI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Social media platform X has updated its developer agreement to prohibit the use of its content for training large language models.
The new clause, added under the restrictions section, forbids any attempt to use X’s API or content to fine-tune or train foundational or frontier AI models.
The move follows Elon Musk’s acquisition of X through his AI company xAI, which is developing its own models.
By restricting external access, the company aims to prevent competitors from freely using X’s data while maintaining control over a valuable resource for training AI systems.
X joins a growing list of platforms, including Reddit and The Browser Company, that have introduced terms blocking unauthorised AI training.
The shift reflects a broader industry trend towards limiting open data access amid the rising value of proprietary content in the AI arms race.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Uber’s chief product officer, Sachin Kansal, is embracing AI to streamline his daily workflow—particularly through tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and, soon, NotebookLM.
Speaking on ‘Lenny’s Podcast,’ Kansal revealed how AI summarisation helps him digest lengthy 50- to 100-page reports he otherwise wouldn’t have time to read. He uses AI to understand market trends and rider feedback across regions such as Brazil, South Korea, and South Africa.
Kansal also relies on AI as a research assistant. For instance, when exploring new driver features, he used ChatGPT’s deep research capabilities to simulate possible driver reactions and generate brainstorming ideas.
‘It’s an amazing research assistant,’ he said. ‘It’s absolutely a starting point for a brainstorm with my team.’
He’s now eyeing Google’s NotebookLM, a note-taking and research tool, as the next addition to his AI toolkit—especially its ‘Audio Overview’ feature, which turns documents into AI-generated podcast-style discussions.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi previously noted that too few of Uber’s 30,000+ employees are using AI and stressed that mastering AI tools, especially for coding, would soon be essential.
Would you like to learn more aboutAI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
A bitter standoff over AI and copyright has returned to the House of Lords, as ministers and peers clash over how to protect creative workers while fostering technological innovation.
At the centre of the debate is the proposed Data (Use and Access) Bill, which was expected to pass smoothly but is now stuck in parliamentary limbo due to growing resistance.
The bill would allow AI firms to access copyrighted material unless rights holders opt out, a proposal that many artists and peers believe threatens the UK’s £124bn creative industry.
Nearly 300 Lords have called for AI developers to disclose what content they use and seek licences instead of relying on blanket access. Former film director Baroness Kidron described the policy as ‘state-sanctioned theft’ and warned it would sacrifice British talent to benefit large tech companies.
Supporters of the bill, like former Meta executive Sir Nick Clegg, argue that forcing AI firms to seek individual permissions would severely damage the UK’s AI sector. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology insists it will only consider changes if they are proven to benefit creators.
If no resolution is found, the bill risks being shelved entirely. That would also scrap unrelated proposals bundled into it, such as new NHS data-sharing rules and plans for a nationwide underground map.
Despite the bill’s wide scope, the fight over copyright remains its most divisive and emotionally charged feature.
Would you like to learn more aboutAI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
