Thankfully today is Thursday. I am Diamond Naga Siu. I miss working in the office, talking to my colleagues, eating snacks, and taking in the views.
But from a business perspective, these amenities are no longer a priority. Even the tallest building in San Francisco.
As far as offices go, One Market Plaza is considered “one of the best, if not the best.” However, the future of its occupation is uncertain. Big companies like Google and Visa rent there, but their commitment to so much office space is wavering.
This leaves the finances of the “trophy” building precarious. And my colleague Daniel Geiger highlights how the One Market Place story highlights the volatile office rental market.
Now let’s take a closer look at today’s technology.
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1. No more raises at Microsoft. CEO Satya Nadella announced that there will be no salary increases for office workers this year. The company will continue to offer promotions, bonuses and shares. But Microsoft is also cutting the budget for these kinds of awards.
- In another email, managers were informed that fewer employees would receive “extra rewards.” “We’re going to need more in the middle of that spectrum,” said chief human resources officer Kathleen Hogan.
- In the memo, Nadella said economic conditions looked different than they did in 2022 and the company was in the process of repositioning around AI.
- This is in stark contrast to last year, when Microsoft promised sweeping raises, writes my colleague Ashley Stewart. She obtained a copy of the leaked email and shared the full text.
Read Satya Nadella’s email announcing the end of salary increases here.
An emailed explanation from Kathleen Hogan to the manager can be found here.
In other news:
2. Google is fully committed to AI. At its annual I/O developer conference on Wednesday, the company unveiled an AI-powered version of its search engine and compared it to asking a knowledgeable friend for advice. How to try.
3. Etsy has just launched a marriage registration service. Popular wedding registry Bed, Bath and Beyond just filed for bankruptcy. So I decided to launch my own handmade craft site. Learn more about the new service here.
4. Facebook parent company Meta wants to use AI to create personalized ads. Acquired a patent for “customization of digital content by audience detection”. AI can target and assess the success of advertising on an individual basis. Please see here for the detail.
5. Most people on social media use AI to create their content. A new survey of 660 influencers found that 94.5% use AI in their content. Image generation and content editing has been one of the popular uses of AI. Learn more about general trends here.
6. People are worried about AI taking their jobs, but they want AI to play a part of their role. Microsoft’s findings highlight just how divided people are about whether the technology is good or bad. Do an AI temperature check here.
7. Get a refund for your Amazon Halo wearable. The company will end support for its Halo line of fitness products, so all devices will stop working on August 1st. Here’s how to get your refund:
8. Elon Musk just made fun of the new Tesla Cybertruck. It seems to come with a tool rack with a futuristic shovel. This electric truck was also equipped with giant wipers. Let’s take a first look at the monster vehicle here.
Odds and Ends:
9. Google is aiming for a foldable phone. The company unveiled its first-ever foldable phone, the Pixel Fold, on Wednesday, and Insider Antonio Villas-Boas was impressed with its five cameras and the quality of construction. Check out the photos and specs.
10. A mysterious celestial body ten million times brighter than the sun. Scientists have not been able to figure out why this unknown object has not yet exploded. It is also said to be too bright to exist, breaking the Eddington limit. Shade to match this bright puzzle here.
What we see today:
Curated by Diamond Naga Siu of San Diego. (Have feedback or tips? Send us an email) dsiu@insider.com or tweet @diamondnagasiu) Edited by Shona Ghosh (Tweet) @shonagosh) and Haram Block (tweet) @hallam_bullock) in London.
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