10 Issues in Tech: Amazon Slack, business extinction, and prime EVs

Phew, it is Friday, associates. I am Diamond Naga Siu, and I simply acquired on Jack Dorsey’s new social media platform Bluesky (discover me right here: @diamondnagasiu.bsky.social).

Who is aware of whether or not this Twitter various will take off (I do not actually hear a lot about Hive Social or Mastodon anymore). However at the very least the title is catchy. It makes me consider summer time, journey, and that I have to e-book some aircraft tickets quickly.

Whereas planning, I will undoubtedly consider the newest airline rankings. The checklist considers 14 components together with delays, denied boardings, mishandled baggage, and value. This landed Southwest on the backside, whereas Delta flew to the highest.

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Earlier than I’m going hop on some flights, let’s dive into in the present day’s tech.

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1. Anguish. Despair. Group: Inside Amazon’s little-known Slack channel. Amazon is well-known for occasionally being a tricky and bruising place to work. And that is taking part in out inside an inside slack channel known as #focus-and-pivot-info for workers placed on efficiency enchancment plans — also referred to as PIPs.

• The channel was created in July 2021 and has almost 2,000 members. It covers a variety of matters. Put up-Amazon insurance coverage, whether or not short-term incapacity or household depart would possibly purchase them time to delay the method, and recommendation on particular PIP conditions.
• When contacted for this story, an Amazon spokesperson confirmed the existence of the channel and stated staff “frequently create Slack channels to speak about quite a lot of matters and they don’t want permission to take action.”
• My colleague Rebecca Knight talked with eight present and former Amazonians to disclose what the channel and impacts of Amazon’s PIP tradition appear to be.

Go behind-the-scenes of Amazon’s little-known Slack channel right here.

In different information:

2. Actuality is stranger than fiction in Sam Altman’s world. The OpenAI creator (of ChatGPT fame) supposedly as soon as stopped a aircraft crash. He is additionally performed chess with Peter Thiel. And sparred with Elon Musk. Insider spoke with lots of Altman’s associates, colleagues, and critics to dive into “Sam’s world.” Enter — when you dare — right here.

3. Shopify staff brace for extra layoffs. A number of in-person occasions have been canceled forward of the earnings name subsequent week — and layoff rumors have been swirling across the firm for weeks. Extra on the looming job cuts right here.

4. Tech jobs aren’t simply getting slashed — they are going extinct. It is an ideal storm. Proper as tech corporations shrink their headcounts, AI is gaining reputation within the office, writes Insider’s editor in chief for enterprise, Matt Turner. Peek into the frightful way forward for tech employment right here.

5. TikTok criticism has became anti-Asian rhetoric. The digital privateness dialog has largely morphed into rhetoric that many take into account xenophobic and outright racist. Extra on the damaging impacts right here amid elevated anti-Asian hate crimes.

6. “I used ChatGPT to speak to my boss for every week.” Nick Rolle, Insider’s affiliate editor of insights and analytics, stated his boss did not even discover. Neither did his coworkers. However he turned rather more environment friendly. Try his secret experiment right here.

7. Tech employees fear in regards to the finish of $500,000 salaries. 1000’s of nameless tech staff fretted over the way forward for tech compensation. Most suppose it is the tip of an period. Although some nonetheless really feel optimistic in regards to the future. Extra on their wage negotiations right here.

8. These are essentially the most enjoyable EVs to drive. Insider’s automobile connoisseur Tim Levin has pushed dozens of electrical autos. He shares the 5 most enjoyable fashions to drive, together with “the certifiably outrageous Pininfarina Battista.” Get the complete checklist right here.

Odds and ends:

9. Hyundai’s “crab driving” may remedy parallel parking issues. The Korean automaker simply showcased its newest wheel expertise. The tires can rotate as much as 90-degrees, which may unlock totally new maneuvers. Roll over to see it in motion right here.

10. A Russian “inspector” satellite tv for pc seems to be chasing a US navy satellite tv for pc. Kosmos-2558 was launched in August 2022. And observers say it has been stalking USA-326 ever since. Try the cosmic tag right here.

The most recent folks strikes in tech:

• Messenger, product design, and software program engineering are simply among the jobs most impacted by Meta’s newest layoffs. Get the complete checklist right here.
• Amazon Studios and Prime layoffs have began. Till now, these divisions largely appeared immune from Amazon’s job cuts. In the meantime, an inside memo revealed that Amazon Internet Companies can also be doubtless getting hit.
• Generally, it has been one other brutal week of job cuts. Listed here are all the foremost corporations that laid off staff to date this yr.

Curated by Diamond Naga Siu in San Diego. (Suggestions or suggestions? E mail [email protected] or tweet @diamondnagasiu) Edited by Shona Ghosh (tweet @shonaghosh) and Hallam Bullock (tweet @hallam_bullock) in London.