Stock markets generally love layoffs, and they appear to love AI at the moment. To be honest, I’m not sure they thought beyond that.
This is pure speculation, but I get the feeling Microsoft’s gonna significantly downsize, if not collapse, by the decade’s end.
This recent move’s gonna kneecap Microsoft’s ability to function as a company, and their heavy investment into AI mean they’ll likely take the brunt of the impact when the bubble bursts.
This does sounds like doubling down on a bet.
As a matter of fact, someone’s noted Ed Zitron had called this back in September:
That’s fine, they had a “make money by stepping over morals” philosophy from the very start.
There’s something I’ve been wondering about: is the management (of not just Microsoft but really any company who’s pivoting to AI this hard, so also Duolingo and Klarna, &c.) really convinced that there’s going to be a foom event soon and the chatbots become capable enough to actually do the work they attribute to them? Or do Nadella and friends know this is all bullshit and just play along until they can’t anymore and leave the sinking ship?
I honestly can’t tell anymore.
My take is that the Silicon Valley overlords live in a bubble, where they believe that.
but does the prospect of mass human sacrifice please The Line?
What is that title even that doesnt
Microsoft lays off the staff who make the money (which is used) to fund AI that doesn’t (make money).
It’s English, but British, Jim.
Tried saying it in a British accent, it didn’t help.
If you don’t get it, LLMs don’t either, and David’s work here is done.
Thanks David. I really enjoy your tea
