More than 200 Telstra jobs are expected to be cut, as the telco rolls out AI capabilities and sends some jobs to India.Telstra and the technology consultancy Accenture announced a $700m joint venture (JV) in 2025 to drive efficiency, modernisation and productivity.A JV spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday that the team had been notified “about proposed changes to its workforce, including reducing roles where work is no longer needed, and moving some work to the JV team in India”.If the changes proceed, the spo ...

Core Viewpoint - The European Commission is threatening action against Meta for allegedly blocking rival chatbots from accessing its WhatsApp platform, which may violate EU antitrust rules [1][2]. Group 1: Regulatory Actions - The European Commission claims that WhatsApp Business is in breach of EU antitrust regulations by restricting access to its platform for other businesses [1][2]. - The Commission views WhatsApp as a crucial entry point for AI chatbots, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, to reach consumers [3]. Group 2: Market Dynamics - Meta is identified as the dominant player in the EU messaging market, and the Commission accuses it of abusing this position by denying access to WhatsApp for competitors [2]. - The recent upgrade to WhatsApp limits AI assistant options to Meta AI, further consolidating its market position [2]. Group 3: Political Context - The warning from the EU comes amid rising tensions between European authorities and the Trump administration regarding the regulation of US tech companies [4]. - The EU competition commissioner emphasized the need to enforce market rules to ensure a well-functioning market [5]. Group 4: Meta's Response - A Meta spokesperson argued that the EU's intervention is unwarranted, stating that there are numerous AI options available outside of WhatsApp [6]. - Meta contends that the Commission's logic incorrectly assumes that the WhatsApp Business API is a key distribution channel for chatbots [7].

The Dow Jones industrial average crossed 50,000 for the first time, as ballooning tech valuations, robust corporate earnings and hopes of lower interest rates drive it to new highs.Leading stock markets on Wall Street came under pressure earlier this week as technology stocks fell amid scrutiny of extraordinary levels of investment into artificial intelligence.Cryptocurrencies including bitcoin have also suffered sharp falls in recent days, although they recovered some lost ground on Friday.But US equities ...

Bitcoin’s price sank to $63,000 on Thursday, its lowest level in more than a year, and half its all-time peak of $126,000, reached in October 2025. A months-long dip in cryptocurrency prices has tanked shares of companies that have increasingly invested in bitcoin, exacerbating broader stock market jitters.Bitcoin rode a high during Donald Trump’s ascent to the presidency in 2024 and throughout 2025; its price steadily increased as the president made one industry-friendly move after another. Crypto’s larges ...

US job openings dropped to the lowest level in more than five years in December and data for the prior month was revised lower amid a softening in labor market conditions at the end of 2025.Job openings, a measure of labor demand, decreased by 386,000 to 6.542m by the last day of December, the lowest level since September 2020, the labor department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics said in its Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, or Jolts report, on Thursday.Data for November was revised down to show 6.928m j ...

The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has launched an investigation into Nike over allegations that the sports giant discriminated against white employees and job applicants.The federal agency is demanding that Nike turn over information related to the allegations, including the company’s “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion-related 2025 Targets and other DEI-related objectives”, it announced on Wednesday.It comes amid a broader crackdown by Donald Trump’s administration on diversity initiative ...

Company Actions - Pinterest has fired two engineers for creating a software tool that identified employees who were laid off during recent job cuts and shared this information improperly [1][3] - The company announced it would cut about 15% of its workforce, equating to approximately 700 employees, although specific teams affected were not disclosed [2] Internal Policies and Violations - A spokesperson for Pinterest stated that the engineers violated company policy and the privacy of their former colleagues by accessing confidential information [3] - The custom scripts created by the engineers were designed to alert on the names of employees being removed or deactivated [4] Strategic Direction - Pinterest is focusing on an AI-forward approach, with significant investments in AI to enhance personalized content and automated tools for marketers [5] - The CEO indicated that the company is at a "critical moment" and encouraged employees who disagree with the company's direction to consider seeking employment elsewhere [6] Industry Context - The job cuts at Pinterest are part of a broader trend in the technology sector, where companies are increasingly relying on AI, with other firms like Amazon and Meta also announcing significant layoffs [6][7]

Netflix co-chief executive Ted Sarandos faced tough questioning over whether the streamer is “overwhelmingly woke” or killing competition on Tuesday afternoon during a congressional hearing focused on its pending acquisition of the film and streaming assets of Warner Bros Discovery.The hearing was conducted by the Senate subcommittee on antitrust, competition policy, and consumer rights. Bruce Campbell, chief revenue and strategy officer for Warner Bros Discovery, also testified in the packed Senate hearing ...

Disney has unveiled Josh D’Amaro as its next CEO, drawing a line under a bungled succession at the top of the global entertainment conglomerate.Bob Iger, who led the media giant for 15 years, stepped down in 2020 – only to abruptly return in 2022 when his handpicked successor, Bob Chapek, was fired as the company came under pressure.D’Amaro has been chairman of the Disney’s experiences since 2020, running its theme parks and cruise ships – effectively the same job as Chapek before his ill-fated stint as CEO ...

Core Insights - SpaceX has acquired xAI in a $1.25 trillion merger, consolidating Musk's business empire as SpaceX prepares for a public offering later this year [1][2] Group 1: Merger Details - The merger aims to create a vertically-integrated innovation engine combining AI, rockets, space-based internet, and direct-to-mobile communications [2] - SpaceX is valued at $1 trillion, while xAI is valued at $250 billion, positioning the combined entity for a stock market float exceeding $1 trillion [4] - The float is anticipated to coincide with a planetary alignment and Musk's birthday in early summer [4] Group 2: Strategic Rationale - The acquisition is driven by Musk's vision for space-based datacenters to support AI, addressing the limitations of terrestrial datacenters in meeting global electricity demand [5] - Musk's recent business strategies have increasingly intertwined his companies through various deals and acquisitions [5] Group 3: Company Valuations and Market Position - SpaceX has received significant valuations, with an expected value of $800 billion as it dominates satellite launches and secures government contracts [6] - xAI has also seen a rise in valuation, recently announcing a $20 billion Series E fundraise, valuing the company at $230 billion [7] Group 4: Market Context - The merger announcement comes amid challenges for Musk, including declining revenues at Tesla and negative publicity related to his communications with Jeffrey Epstein [9][10]