#ai

IBM CEO Arvind Krishna argues that at current infrastructure and energy costs there is effectively no way for the current wave of AI data center spending to earn an adequate return. Using back-of-the-envelope math, he estimates about 80 billion dollars to build and fill a 1 gigawatt data center, implying around 8 trillion dollars in total commitments if the world builds roughly 100 gigawatts of AI compute capacity.
• He says 8 trillion dollars of capex would require roughly 800 billion dollars of profit just to cover the cost of capital, and notes that AI chips depreciate over about five years, meaning they must be heavily utilized and then replaced, further straining economics.
• Krishna openly disagrees with Sam Altman’s belief that such spending will be paid back, framing it as a belief or bet rather than something he accepts.
• He is very skeptical that current large language model technology alone will reach AGI, putting the probability at only 0 to 1 percent without a new breakthrough. He thinks AGI will require additional technologies, such as combining LLMs with more structured or hard knowledge, and even then calls it only a “maybe.”
• Despite this, he is bullish on present-day AI, saying current tools can unlock trillions of dollars of productivity in enterprises, even if they fall short of true AGI.

• Oracle’s credit risk gauge on its debt closed at the highest level since 2009
• A surge in bond issuance from large tech companies helped trigger the move
• Investors are increasingly worried that the AI sector may be forming a bubble
• The cost of protecting Oracle’s debt against default rose to about 1.28 % a year
• This level is based on end of day credit derivative prices in New York
• It marks the highest cost of protection on Oracle’s debt since March 2009
• The price jumped nearly 0.03 % compared with the prior trading day
• The gauge has more than tripled from around 0.36 % in June
• Heavy funding activity by tech firms is adding pressure to credit markets
• Oracle is being viewed as more exposed to AI related volatility in investor sentiment
• The move fits into a broader rise in perceived credit stress for major tech issuers
• These shifts are intensifying doubts about how sustainable the AI driven expansion will be

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-12-02/oracle-credit-fear-gauge-hits-highest-since-2009-on-ai-bubble-fears

Because stupid people believe anything. Chucky and g2, d-mb and d-mber.

Consolidating the Tech leadership under a "sustainability" COO IN the same 2 weeks everyone is being told to hurry up and update their skills listing in Workday. The writing seems on the wall for another season of tech "reorganization".

Does this mean we're finally done fu--ing around with NFTs and trying to homebrew dead-end AI hype?

While a minority of the layoffs discussed during third-quarter earnings were attributed to AI, the AI-related share increased notably through 2025, growing to just above 15% in the quarter. But more broadly, he highlighted that the companies discussing AI in the context of their workforce or layoffs “indeed appear to be pulling back disproportionately on hiring.”

https://fortune.com/2025/12/02/are-layoffs-related-to-ai-job-opening-goldman-sachs/

Replace your boss with AI
I am not trolling- this is useful:

https://ReplaceYourBoss.ai

they are silently reducing people and giving out severance packages already. More to come. Before you ask me how I know. Go to your outlook and lookup “usrifsupport@thomsonreuters.com”. Then ask me again how I know and why I would be d-mb enough to tell you all. Not fear mongering but all I’m saying is just apply and keep your resume updated just in case because this isn’t TR specific and all organizations are downsizing due to AI.

I’m so sick of the AI slop on Penny’s Page. Real interesting how all these em dashes started showing up after generative AI advanced. Disrespectful. Just stop posting instead of pretending we are all too stupid to notice.

Currently, more than 6,500 unemployment claims remain pending, some dating back to February. To address this backlog, DOL is teaming up with Google AI and delivery partner Egen to build an interim process that consolidates claim information into a single system. The deployment of Google’s Adjudication Assistant, a GenAI solution, will help accelerate claim reviews.

https://www.capegazette.com/article/delaware-department-labor-launches-strategy-update/296823

Our annual shutdown will take place from December 25, 2025, through January 2, 2026, with a Day for Me on December 26, 2025. This time away gives us a chance to recharge and focus on what matters most — you and your family. The shutdown also helps Cisco reduce its carbon footprint, saving more than $6 million in energy costs and 22,500 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions over the past seven years.

The shutdown also helps Cisco reduce its carbon footprint, saving more than $6 million in energy costs and 22,500 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions over the past seven years.

CISCO forcing everyone to burn AI token for every stupid tasks using 1k tools at the same time is very concerned about footprint haha

Cuts are about squeezing out extra profit, plus a hefty dose of offshoring. They’ll hand us some clunky AI tool we have to babysit like a toddler, and we’ll spend half our time double-checking hallucinations and bad outputs. Yet they’ll still expect us to deliver the work of five people. It’s a convenient excuse, but it’s hardly convincing.

My manager has confirmed that “performance layoffs” will be implemented if the launch of Goosehead’s new AI Lily is successful. That’s why everyone in service was written up for something, to set the scene for firings that are designed to cut costs. That’s also why RTO is slated for February, to cut more staff. Charl Lombard and his McKinsey ilk are behind this nonsense, thinking that hold times will be improved by Lily and then they can cull the flock. Yeah, we’ll see

Trying sh---y AI into performance is a new low.

AI is a tool, and a pretty limited one at that. It can’t replace humans, and it still needs constant oversight. Probabilistic models can’t deliver consistently reliable results. What’s driving the cuts is the usual mix - greed, poor leadership decisions, offshoring, and a rough economy. And if anyone at the top truly thinks AI can replace the work we do, it’s going to turn into yet another very expensive misjudgment.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mako254_we-keep-blaming-ai-for-layoffs-but-the-truth-activity-7400198309136515072-FtGc

I am lucky that I still have job in Dell. But I want to move.
I am waiting for job market to become better for a couple years.
Unfortunately, 2025 could be the best year of job market in the next 10 y.
AI is going to take all of our jobs eventually.

Hot off the presses: If you don’t hit your quota AND you aren’t hitting 80% metrics with the “modern selling tools” (namely SalesChat), you are put on a “coaching plan”…. AKA PIP.

So dystopian. I’ve hit my number every quarter over the past four years, but I guess that doesn’t matter. I guess I am being paid to use the $hitty half baked AI tools instead of to close business & spend time with customers.

I’m no fool. Dell will unrealistically quadruple my quota and then rejoice as it opens up a means to cut me w/o severance. Yay for OPEX reduction!

I will admit: these AI tools are great for less experienced folks, but more tenured individuals don’t need to use the tools as much as the metrics they are setting. They do not replace experience. Dell is definitely going to overrate here and expect a freshie out of college to have the same production as me with glorious sAlEsChAT at their side.

This place is going down quicker than the titanic, and I’m enjoying watching while I quite quit and manipulate the metrics.

Everything is AI AI AI
What happened to basic things like Networking?

How many employees did Basking Ridge office have before Nov 20th layoff?
According to AI, it houses 6000 people. What percentage of the total is the 1319 people they laid-off?
Just wondering, because I read about a WARN Notice investigation online.

https://straussborrelli.com/2025/11/25/verizon-new-jersey-warn-act-investigation/

https://www.malaysiasun.com/news/278725881/india-inc-sees-governance-as-top-priority-for-scaling-ai-infrastructure-ibm-study

"AI" mentioned 16 times in this 'article', it's like a "School Assignment" IBM puff piece

I am not trolling- this is useful:

https://ReplaceYourBoss.ai

It’s all offshoring. Or, in some cases, cutting roles that are just gone forever while dumping the workload on fewer and fewer people. I really wish they’d stop excusing profit-maximizing cuts and offshoring by slapping an AI label on everything. It feels like gaslighting at the highest level.

Cigna has introduced Clearity, a new copay-only health plan designed to eliminate deductibles and coinsurance while giving members upfront prices and simpler navigation. The plan uses Cigna’s new AI tools to help users check coverage, estimate costs, and find care with verified reviews and transparent copay information.

Clearity offers five plan designs with tiered in-network copays and one out-of-network tier, all built on the Open Access Plus network to avoid narrowing access. Cigna says the model is meant to address consumer frustration with unpredictable bills and complex benefits, offering employers a more predictable option for workers who skip care due to high deductibles.

The plan pairs Cigna’s AI-powered virtual assistant, already in use for claims, benefits questions, and provider search, with natural-language “find care” tools that surface total out-of-pocket costs before the visit. Cigna positions Clearity as a simpler, more transparent alternative for consumers who want upfront pricing and fewer barriers to care.

“By combining our latest AI technology with simplified, transparent costs, we are helping employers offer innovative solutions that meet the diverse needs of their workforce. Clearity by Cigna Healthcare is more than a health plan – it’s a simpler, more predictable way for customers to get the health care they need.” – Eva Borden, chief product officer of Cigna Healthcare’s U.S. Employer business.

“We designed the Clearity plan to support a wide range of people who are looking for a simpler health insurance experience. From tech-savvy employees and healthy individuals who prefer pay-as-you-go options to those who may skip care due to high deductibles and financial barriers, Clearity by Cigna Healthcare offers a better path to care.” – Erin Lenox, president of national accounts for Cigna Healthcare’s U.S. Employer business.

https://coverager.com/cigna-launches-new-ai-powered-medical-plan/

I’ve worked for this company for many years. Loved my job, in fact. But since they’ve become he-l-bound on implementing AI, this whole company, their company values and all the processes that used to work so well have gone straight to he-l! The new systems do not work correctly. Employees that have given so much to ensure the absolute best quality and performance for this company and our customers are put on CAPs, due to the ones making millions choosing systems that do not work, and we get the blame. These overpaid fools couldn’t do these jobs to save their greedy souls! I am so ashamed to even work here now and am looking forward to getting out.

The company isn’t ruling out additional reductions across different functions over the next two years as it ramps up usage of the technology, according to people familiar with the matter. McKinsey is also closely assessing what tasks can be carried out by AI, the people said, declining to be identified as the details are private.

https://www.ndtvprofit.com/business/mckinsey-cuts-about-200-tech-jobs-shifts-more-roles-to-ai

https://www.freepressjournal.in/tech/nasscom-foundation-and-ibm-partner-to-skill-87000-underserved-youth

A.I. saves money. Hourly rates are lower.

Oracle made $125M on $900M worth of rev from renting out data centers powered by Nvidia GPUs... this works out to a 14% profit margin. That’s a sh---y profit margin in a normal business, it’s VERY modest in a highly volatile industry like this one. It’s much smaller than the roughly 70% gross margin Oracle gets on non-AI services…

HP Inc. (HPQ) reported fiscal fourth quarter earnings results after the close on Tuesday, which topped Wall Street estimates on both the top and bottom lines. The company also announced it is pursuing new AI initiatives, which include reducing "gross global headcount by approximately 4,000-6,000 employees."

https://www.thelayoff.com/t/1kaqkpf2t

https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkoetsier/2025/11/24/in-the-future-well-all-be-bosses-and-have-100-artificial-assistants/

In the very near future, we’ll all be bosses, and we’ll have our own customized teams of AI agents automating processes that we manage, allowing us to accomplish much more than we currently personally do. At least, that’s the vision from OpenText, an information management company that claims 99 of the largest 100 companies on the planet as customers.

“There will be hundreds and perhaps thousands of bots being created by everybody in this audience,” chairman and chief strategy officer Tom Jenkins said at the company’s conference in Nashville last week. "Everyone is going to be building their own little AIs.”

Couple things

1. The company has never ever cared for employees over the results. Even the red chair..
2. All the execs posting boo who...If we had your money we would burn ours. Save your comments & books. You all laugh your way to the bank.
3. The beginning of the end was when when wireless and landline merged. "It's over Johnny"
4. Maybe AI can select a board & CEO that doesn't promote golden parachutes and politically current tears but results. 7 years on the board and now running the helm???? Mentioned he was impatient...7 years watching the ship sink...HELLLOOOOO
5. Verizon gives 40 hours sick time. Use them.
6. Unless state mandated, pers days won't carry over . Use them
7. Every state has its own requirements for termination notification and last payments, understand them.
8. Don't underestimate your experience & knowledge.

https://www.thelayoff.com/t/1kaqkpf2t

Is AI determined who to lay off now?

• 350000 employees (100000 low perf, 150000 med perf, 70000 high perf, 30000 exceeds perf) + AI
• 250000 employees (20000 medium perf, 170000 high perf, 60000 exceeds perf) + AI
• 200000 employees (20000 medium perf, 90000 high perf, 90000 exceeds perf) + AI

Heard some rumors that another round of "restructuring" is happening before the end of the year for the KC teams

Apparently our wonderfully absent tech leader feels that "AI will make our delivery teams obsolete"

Isn't it just pathetic that anything they ever mention in these town hall meetings is AI? Who cares about AI and their silly agents. FIS dropped 24% in 12 months, they are doing massive RIFs, morale is very very low and all they can do is wear silly hats and talk about AI.

It’d be great to see the real numbers. Anyone who’s actually used AI knows it’s nowhere near reliable enough to replace human work outright. And yet we keep hearing that “AI-driven layoffs” are the future, when most reports say many of those jobs aren’t being replaced at all, or they’re being sent offshore. It feels like nothing more than old-school cost cutting dressed up as innovation. At the end of the day, it’s plain greed and leadership completely out of touch with the people who actually keep the place running.

Is anyone left? #robocollege

https://www.investing.com/news/transcripts/earnings-call-transcript-phoenix-education-partners-reports-q4-2025-growth-stock-dips-93CH-4371849

Profits Over People

https://www.investing.com/news/transcripts/earnings-call-transcript-phoenix-education-partners-reports-q4-2025-growth-stock-dips-93CH-4371849

It's not fun whatsoever to watch coworkers, friends and/or family loose their livelihood. I know many at Verizon who've been going thru this round of layoffs turmoil, and amongst them some who lost their jobs. It's very hard watching people you know suffer, however it is a reality of working at large corporations.

Honestly, it's something you inadvertently sign up for when you take a corporate position, especially in the Telecommunications industry which has regularly had staff cutbacks for nearly ~45 years beginning with the breakup the AT&T Bell System in 1982.

I've worked in Telecom (AT&T, Verizon, Virgin Mobile, Sprint, T-Mobile and Boost) since the mid-1980's and have been thru major rounds of layoffs literally dozens of times (impacted 1 time personally when AT&T shut down their entire Consumer Business in 2003) so I can certainly emphasize with others enduring the same.

This could well be Verizon's "new norm" going forward (also Telcom & Corp America) with AI, automation and operational changes significantly take hold.

P.s., I've previously worked closely with Verizon's CEO, Dan Schulman at AT&T and Virgin Mobile over the years. He's a good Executive doing what's necessary to right Verizon's lagging performance.