Job cuts and economic trends: A snapshot of the American job market
In the last year, American corporation John Deere has laid off nearly 1,000 workers and it announced 650 job cuts on Wednesday, June 5. The manufacturing tractor company also plans to send more work to Mexico.
John Deere’s profits dropped by more than $6 billion from this time in 2023, with economists pointing to slower sales of new farm equipment due to higher interest rates.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics posted May’s job report on Friday, June 7, showing the unemployment rate inching up from 3.9% to 4%. This is the highest level since the start of 2022, with 6.6 million unemployed people.
However, 276,000 jobs were added in May — significantly higher than the 185,000 jobs analysts had predicted. According to economists, the May jobs report makes it unlikely that the Federal Reserve will reduce interest rates, as inflation remains at 3.6%, well above the preferred 2% target rate.
“And don’t forget we’re going into the summer season where things just get a little slower,” said Alexander Morris, CEO of F/M Investments. “So, I think we should expect more of this sort of behavior for the next few weeks.”
These layoffs are not just happening at John Deere. Over the last two years, several industries have announced job cuts, including technology, retail, health care, financial, automotive and media.
In 2023, job cuts soared to their highest level since the pandemic in 2020, with most happening in the first half of the year. Tech companies like Meta and Amazon announced they are slashing jobs, and the Challenger Report, which tracks job cuts, shows that tech led the country with a 73% increase in job cuts that year — just shy of the record set in 2001.
The job cuts slowed down in November and December last year, however, further reductions have picked up in the first half of 2024, though they remain lower than a year ago.
Google, Amazon, Tesla, Microsoft and Nike all announced cuts for this year.
According to a survey conducted by Resume Builder in late 2023, 4 in 10 business leaders said their companies were likely to experience layoffs this year, and 52% said a hiring freeze would likely go into effect at their companies as well.
Nearly 70% of those business leaders cited a need to reduce costs, and just over 50% said they anticipated a possible recession.
According to the Challenger Report, in April 2024, U.S. employers announced nearly 65,000 layoffs — a 28% drop from the more than 90,000 announced in March.
So, whether unemployment continues to rise or if inflation cools this summer is still too soon to tell.
Big Tech raises privacy concerns in quest for human-driven data to power AI
Tech giants are seeking to dominate the new world of artificial intelligence. In their quest, they’re causing controversy, raising concerns over user privacy and more. Adobe’s recently updated terms of service angered and worried some users when they were announced on the week of June 3.
The innovation caveat led to more pushback from those users concerned about their work being used potentially for AI purposes. The concerns forced the company to respond again, saying that it “does not train Firefly Gen A Models on customer content” and “will never assume ownership of a customer’s work.
Meta, on the other hand, isn’t going the same route as Adobe. The company said that it will be using individuals’ personal posts, pictures and private messages on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp to help train its AI products. Meta said it doesn’t need users’ consent.
The controversial move from the Meta platform and other companies comes as a report on Thursday showed that companies will exhaust available human data for training purposes for AI language models sometime between 2026 and 2032. The reason is because the current pace of data mining won’t allow for new blogs, new articles and new social media content to keep the same pace into the next decade.
With Meta’s announcement, privacy advocates have sounded the alarm. A European advocacy group filed complaints on behalf of 11 countries against Meta for its new data-scraping policy. The group called on European Union authorities to halt the plan by the social media giant.
However, Meta argued that it doesn’t need permission from users. The tech giant claims that its new policy, which goes into effect on June 26, follows EU privacy laws.
Meanwhile, European users have the option to opt out of the policy while American users do not. In the United States, Meta has already gained access to public user data on Instagram, WhatsApp and Facebook.
As the “gold rush” for human-driven data continue by Big Tech, OpenAI and Google have reached contracts with Reddit and some news media outlets to train AI language models.
Meanwhile, several U.S. newspapers are fighting back against the data grab by Big Tech by suing OpenAI and Microsoft Corp. The newspapers are accusing the companies of stealing copyrighted articles without attribution to train AI systems.
How artificial intelligence is now being used in the grieving process
Artificial intelligence is emerging as a new technology for those mourning the loss of a loved one. The use of AI is just beginning to be used in the grieving process, bringing the dead to life through the emerging technology. However, while some see it as a way to allow a person to live on through memories, others have expressed concerns over the ethics and whether it truly heals the individuals experiencing the loss of a loved one.
Bommer, who has been diagnosed with colon cancer, has entered the final stage of his life. Bommer said he finds comfort in knowing his wife will be able to listen to his words after his death, hopefully bringing her comfort in the process as well.
Locascio said that the interactive technology has 300 different phrases that they captured. He calls it “your emotional voice,” which may bring different cadences to how someone says, “I love you,” or “Oh, the door is open.”
Locascio said that one hour of recording takes about two days to compute. He added, “that becomes your voice. That becomes your talking AI, I’ll call it your essence.”
Eternos uses external language models developed by companies like Meta, OpenAI and the French firm Mistral AI. The model can answer questions from life events to the person’s political views through a computer. The cost for the service is $15,000.
Eternos is among several companies that are venturing into the business of grief-related AI technology. Some examples include California-based company, StoryFile, which allows users to interact with prerecorded videos of loved ones through the use of algorithms to answer questions.
HereAfter AI also offers a similar interaction with a “life story avatar.” Meanwhile, Seance AI offers fictional seances for no cost. However, if one wish to incorporate a loved one into their seance, the cost is $10.
However, ethical questions remain, like if a company goes belly-up. For instance, StoryFile has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and said that it owes around $4.5 million to creditors. Still, the company said that it is currently setting up a “fail-safe” system that allows families to have access to material whether or not it folds.
Furthermore, a researcher who co-authored a study on the use of AI technology for those who have died said that the technology raises other concerns, like the rights and consent of the dead and whether the services truly offer closure to the mourners. The researcher said that it remains “a vast techno-cultural experiment.”
Trump to attend NY trial as US Supreme Court hears immunity case
The United States Supreme Court will hear arguments on former President Donald Trump’s immunity claims while the former president’s criminal trial resumes in New York. And dozens of protesters are arrested as pro-Palestinian demonstrations continue on college campuses. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, April 25, 2024.
Trump to attend NY trial as U.S. Supreme Court hears immunity case
This stems from special counsel Jack Smith’s charges accusing Trump of attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
Trump’s lawyers have argued that the presidency would lose its independence and presidents would not be able to function in office if they knew they could be charged following their term.
Lower courts have sided against Trump, saying he could not claim immunity for actions he took during his time as president.
The timing and extent of the Supreme Court’s decision could determine whether this trial could be held before November’s election. A ruling is expected by late June.
Meanwhile, in the Manhattan courtroom, jurors will hear more testimony from David Pecker, the former publisher of the tabloid newspaper The National Enquirer. Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records amid the 2016 presidential election.
Trump had requested to skip today’s trial proceedings so he could attend the Supreme Court hearing, but the New York judge denied that request.
Arizona grand jury indicts 18 in alleged 2020 fake elector scheme tied to Trump
The charges — which also involve former Trump campaign and White House officials — include conspiracy, fraud and forgery.
While Trump is not among those charged, the indictment labels Donald Trump as “unindicted coconspirator 1” and follows a detailed 13-month investigation led by Democratic Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes.
The Republican Party of Arizona has criticized the indictments as politically motivated as the 2024 election approaches.
Arizona House votes to repeal Civil War era abortion ban revived by state Supreme Court
Arizona state lawmakers voted Wednesday, April 24, to repeal a historic law from 1864 that almost completely bans abortion, with no exceptions for cases of rape or incest.
This comes after the Arizona Supreme Court recently supported the 1864 statute over a more recent 15-week abortion limit.
The state House approved the repeal with a 32-28 vote, with three Republicans siding with Democrats. The legislation now moves to the state Senate, where Republicans have a slight majority. If the Senate rejects it, the old ban could be reinstated within weeks.
The legislation could be taken up by the state Senate the week of April 29.
Dozens of arrests made at pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses
Pro-Palestinian protests continue at college campuses across the country, with dozens of arrests being made.
In a letter to the community, USC stated the decision stemmed from a confrontation between security and protesters, many of whom were not affiliated with USC. Overnight, USC announced the protest had ended but the campus remains closed until further notice, with only students and faculty able to enter with proper ID.
At the University of Texas at Austin, troopers were called in and at least 34 people were arrested, according to the Texas Department of Safety.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said violent rhetoric must be called out but did not comment further on the developments at Columbia, beyond stating it is a private institution and the speaker has the right to express his views.
Meta reports revenue increase but forecast dips stock
Meta also says it expects a rise in expenses for the year due to its investments in artificial intelligence. The company says more than 3 billion people use one or more of its apps each day.
The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner told the Chicago Tribune it feels “surreal” and added he is “ready for the moment.” There will be 257 picks in total, spread over seven rounds. Various versions of the three-day draft will air live on ABC, ESPN and the NFL Network.
Last year’s draft averaged six million viewers per day across all platforms, an increase of 12% over the previous year.
Report warns AI could overwhelm system made to curb online child exploitation
A new report from the Stanford Internet Observatory revealed that the CyberTipline for reporting online child exploitation (CSAM) is overwhelmed and needs improvement for law enforcement to capture predators. The CyberTipline is “enormously valuable and leads to the rescue of children and prosecution of offenders,” however, the report said child sex abuse material created by artificial intelligence is threatening to overwhelm the situation.
The system is currently bogged down with millions of tips and law enforcement officers are not able to prioritize the reports for investigation.
The CyberTipline was created by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in 1998 and “established a national resource center and clearinghouse to provide technical assistance to state and local governments, law enforcement agencies and individuals in locating and recovering missing children.”
The CyberTipline allows the public and electronic service providers to report online child sex abuse exploitation. Staffers working the CyberTipline review the reports, identify the location of the victim or predator and send the information to the appropriate local law enforcement agency.
If a report cannot be geolocated to a specific area, the report is then made available to federal law enforcement.
In 2023, the center received more than 36 million reports of child exploitation. Of those, 2.1 million CyberTipline reports were given to federal law enforcement agencies.
“Almost certainly in the years to come, the CyberTipline will just be flooded with highly realistic-looking AI content, which is going to make it even harder for law enforcement to identify real children who need to be rescued,” researcher Shelby Grossman said.
Just 5%-8% of the tips lead to arrests because of a lack of funding and legalities, according to the report.
In 2023, about 92% of the tips received involved countries outside of the U.S. — a stark difference from 2008 when the majority of the tips concerned American victims and offenders.
The Stanford report outlines a few recommendations such as having Congress increase funding to NCMEC, providing clear information to social media platforms on how to file a detailed report to the CyberTipline, and providing resources to law enforcement so they have the time and investigate child sex abuse crimes.
Several AI companies — including OpenAI, Meta and Google — have agreed to implement new practices and principles to minimize the risk of child sexual abuse material and train to remove the material from their platforms.
Meta AI debuts across platforms raising privacy, bias concerns
After months of anticipation, Meta launched the company’s AI chatbot, Meta AI, on Thursday, April 18. Meta AI integrates advanced AI technology across everyday applications such as Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp and Ray-Ban smart glasses. The rollout is sparking concerns about the technology’s controversial impact on digital interactions.
Like its generative AI competitors, Meta AI can create images, craft captions and even act as a moderator in group chats, addressing questions when needed.
Anika Navaroli, a senior fellow at Columbia’s Tow Center for Digital Journalism, cautioned that AI tools may perpetuate cycles of misinformation and bias on social platforms, exacerbating societal divisions. She described these biases as creating a “feedback loop to hell,” which intensifies hate speech and harmful content. The feedback loops make biases increasingly difficult to manage or eliminate.
The company integrated Meta AI into almost all of the company’s platforms without an option to disable it. When users inquire about how to remove it, the chatbot provides instructions, but they are misleading and not based on accurate information.
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Users can avoid using Meta AI by ignoring its suggestions and prompts, but it will remain a prominent feature on the platform.
Native nations take on Big Tech in name of teen mental health
Two U.S. tribal nations are taking on Big Tech. The Spirit Lake Tribe in Los Angeles and Menominee Tribe in Wisconsin filed a lawsuit against Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Google and YouTube. The plaintiffs claim that these platforms are preying on their youth, contributing to high suicide rates among Native American teens.
The tribes said that Big Tech purposefully hooks teens and keeps them glued to their screens with addictive design mechanisms. Advocates said that Native American teens are especially vulnerable to the negative health effects of these platforms. These habits, the tribes claim, led to an increase in teen suicide.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Native American teen youth have a markedly higher rate of suicide in their communities, up to four times the youth suicide rates as other demographics.
Spirit Lake’s chairperson said “endless scrolling” is “rewiring the brains of our teenagers.”
The plaintiffs argue that these social media platforms are dumping a massive burden on tribal communities, already dealing with scarce mental health care access and historical traumas.
The lawsuit aims to force platforms to change the design choices, particularly those which contribute to addictive behaviors in teens. The plaintiffs also want great accountability from social media companies to safeguard the mental well-being of Native American youth.
According to the Pew Research Center, virtually all U.S. teens use social media. Around one-sixth of teens report their social media use to be “almost constant.”
It’s not just tribes taking action, a growing number of U.S. school districts, states and cities are pursuing lawsuits against Big Tech. In Congress, a bipartisan group of senators is pushing the Kids Online Safety Act, requiring platform design changes to prevent harm to children’s mental health. The tech industry opposes the bill and the American Civil Liberties Union has raised censorship concerns.
Google responded to the lawsuit by the two tribes, stating that the allegations “are simply not true.”
War for social media superiority: TikTok to launch rival app to Instagram
The fight to win over more users is on between TikTok and Instagram. In March, it was uncovered that TikTok was working on a rival to Instagram, and now it has a name: TikTok Notes.
The new name started to pop up as some users received notifications announcing photo posts would be shown on TikTok Notes. The notification states users can opt out, according to images shared on social media.
No release date has been announced for TikTok Notes yet, but TikTok did confirm the existence of TikTok Notes to TechCrunch in a statement.
According to the statement, TikTok is “exploring ways to empower our community to create and share their creativity with photos and text in dedicated space for those formats.”
TikTok’s expected launch of its new app follows Instagram recently launched “Reels,” a short-form video feature, similar to TikTok’s scrolling feed.
Meta and ByteDance — the parent companies of Instagram and TikTok, respectively — are in a battle for users.
TikTok is still seeing growth despite efforts in Congress to ban the platform. The Pew Research Center also found that a third of American adults use TikTok, and although Instagram has more users, those on TikTok spend more time on the platform.
Meta’s Oversight Board rules ban on Islamic term harms free speech
After a detailed review, Meta’s independent Oversight Board has advised ending the widespread ban on the Arabic word “shaheed” on Tuesday, March 26. This term, translating to “Islamic martyr” but also meaning “to bear witness” or “testify” in Arabic, was found to overly restrict content from millions of users.
The board noted that Meta’s approach disproportionately limits free expression, with “shaheed” leading to more content removal than any other term across its platforms.
Criticism of censoring the word grew amid the intensifying conflict between Israel and Hamas in October, with civil rights groups accusing the social media giant of censoring support for Palestinians.
Meta argued that extremists use “shaheed” to glorify terrorism, but it didn’t consider the word’s various meanings that don’t glorify martyrdom.
Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Oversight Board co-chair and former prime minister of Denmark, criticized the policy.
“Meta has been operating under the assumption that censorship can and will improve safety, but the evidence suggests that censorship can marginalize whole populations while not improving safety at all,” Thorning-Schmidt said.
Meta has promised to review the board’s feedback and will respond within 60 days to accept or deny the policy recommendation.
Florida’s social media ban for kids under 16 awaits Gov. DeSantis’ signature
Florida may soon have one of the strictest social media laws in the United States. On Friday, Feb. 23, a bill that would ban children under the age of 16 from social media, regardless of parental consent, is heading to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk for his signature.
According to The Associated Press, the proposed restrictions, which have passed the Florida House and Senate, target any social media platforms that track user activity. The ban would enforce rules on any site that allows children to upload content and interact with other users.
Supporters of the social media measures argue they’re necessary as rates of suicide, depression and anxiety increase in teens. Advocates said the numbers are attributed to social media use, but social media companies have contended that the science is not conclusive.
Florida is not the first state to take action against social media companies.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, announced efforts to combat algorithms on social media sites, which she said send kids down rabbit holes and introduce them to harmful content.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, also a Democrat, declared social media an “environmental toxin” and announced action against five social media companies, seeking a payout of millions of dollars in damages for the cost of mental health services and programs provided to teens. Adams largely blames social media for the mental health crisis among adolescents.
However, opponents of the bill contend the proposed law would violate the First Amendment, and they said that the decision to keep social media away from children should be left up to parents.
Social media bans for kids in Arkansas and Ohio have been paused as Big Tech has fought back against the laws, and judges have granted injunctions on the grounds that restrictions violate free speech rights.
The legislation in Florida has bipartisan support, with a mix of Democrats and Republicans helping to get the bill to DeSantis’ desk.
If DeSantis signs the social media ban into law, companies would be forced to close accounts believed to be used by minors and cancel accounts at the request of parents.
