In 2025, the tech industry finds itself caught in a paradox. On one hand, we’re witnessing an AI gold rush. Companies are investing billions, betting that artificial intelligence will unlock the next wave of innovation. Meanwhile, over 22,000 tech workers have already been laid off this year — 16,000 in February alone.

Apparently, this signals a turning point in how companies structure teams and allocate talent. Intelligent systems are redefining how teams work, which skills are gaining value and where human roles still matter.

It’s not simply about whether AI is causing the layoffs. What matters is how firms respond. As layoffs accelerate across the tech industry, leaders now face a choice: restructure with purpose or fall behind.

What is driving the wave of job cuts

Tech industry layoffs have become a defining feature of AI-driven transformation since 2022, and the trend hasn’t slowed. Microsoft is cutting 9,000 jobs, following earlier rounds this year. HP is reducing its workforce by 2,000 people in October, expecting to save nearly $300 million. At first glance, these moves resemble classic downsizing during economic uncertainty.

But profitability doesn’t exempt companies from resetting. SAP, for example, despite strong performance, is letting go of up to 10,000 employees. The company is flattening management, consolidating teams and rebuilding platforms for AI-driven operations. Even younger firms are following suit. Scale AI, a major player in model training, recently laid off 200 employees and 500 contractors, just weeks after closing a $14.3 billion deal with Meta.

Look closer, and a pattern emerges. As firms rebuild around AI, roles tied to legacy systems, siloed processes or repetitive tasks are disappearing, making room for new capabilities, but not without disruption.

Related: AI Won’t Wait for Your Strategy — Why Should Your Leadership?

What kind of roles is the AI era creating?

While some jobs disappear, I’ve noticed new ones emerge to support AI-first operations. The focus is shifting from repetitive work to compact, cross-functional teams that build, train and integrate intelligent systems.

The most in-demand skills I see today combine technical fluency and adaptive thinking — engineers who scale AI infrastructure, product managers who understand model behavior, and analysts who can bridge data, business and strategy. Meanwhile, traditional entry-level paths like QA, support and content moderation are narrowing, putting AI upskilling at the center of workforce planning.

The impact is global. The U.S. remains the epicenter, but Europe and India are also restructuring. For example, Tata Consultancy Services is cutting over 12,000 jobs — the largest layoff in its history, citing a skills mismatch. As automation spreads, experts warn that up to half a million roles could be displaced over the next few years.

For younger professionals, this creates urgency. Opportunities are still there, but the timeline to reskill is shrinking fast.

How you handle tech industry layoffs matters

Layoffs are never easy, but how they’re handled matters more than how many people are affected. From my experience advising companies through transitions, three principles make the difference.

Tie every decision to strategy

When layoffs happen, people assume they’re just about saving money. That perception stems from poor transparency, making cuts feel abrupt and disconnected from a bigger plan.

The goal is to make every workforce change part of your strategy, not just a reaction to external circumstances. To do so effectively, here is a short checklist to guide the process:

• Define the purpose – Translate your AI or growth goals into clear priorities that guide which roles evolve or phase out.
• Map impact areas – Evaluate which functions add value, which can be automated and where human expertise remains critical.
• Redeploy before reducing – Move people toward new AI projects or targeted reskilling before considering exits.
• Communicate the vision – Explain how changes position the company for future growth.

Handle layoffs in one clear move

Nothing unsettles a team more than uncertainty. When layoffs come in waves, people lose focus and start wondering if they’ll be next. Еven top employees may leave to escape the instability. Furthermore, repeated cuts also erode confidence among investors and customers.

If layoffs are unavoidable, make them a single, well-prepared move. Align leadership on scope and timing, communicate transparently about the reasons, and support those affected right away. Then, reassure the remaining team with a clear view of what comes next.

Related: Why Every Company Will Need an AI Specialist by 2026 — and What Happens If You Don’t

Reskill before you replace

As AI reshapes work, many roles are evolving rather than disappearing. Repetitive, rule-based tasks — common for junior developers, testers and support agents — are most exposed. With targeted support, these employees can move into areas like AI-assisted QA, data curation or model monitoring, where human judgment still matters.

To make this shift sustainable, organizations must become skills-based, placing skills not job titles, at the core of talent management. This lets you redeploy people into new value areas as strategy changes. According to Deloitte, SBOs move from rigid job structures to dynamic, skills-oriented models that allow talent to flow where it’s needed.

From my perspective, transitioning toward this model starts with three practical steps:

1. Decompose work into skills – Break jobs down into tasks and skills so you can see where existing people already have relevant capabilities and where gaps exist.
2. Link skills to strategy – Decide which skills will drive AI value (e.g. data literacy, prompt engineering, evaluation) and map people toward those.
3. Prioritize learning – Assign employees to small, concrete AI initiatives so they acquire and apply new skills on the job, not in isolation. At Accedia, for example, our Innovation Development Center acts as a living lab where cross-functional teams pilot AI use cases in real workflows, build working solutions, and scale the proven ones across departments.

Conclusion

Tech industry layoffs reveal more than cost pressures. They signal a shift in how organizations define value, talent, and readiness for the AI era. From what I’ve observed, the companies that thrive treat this moment not as an ending, but as a chance to redesign, reskill and rebuild smarter. The question isn’t whether AI will change your workforce – it’s whether you’ll use it to make your people and your organization stronger.

In 2025, the tech industry finds itself caught in a paradox. On one hand, we’re witnessing an AI gold rush. Companies are investing billions, betting that artificial intelligence will unlock the next wave of innovation. Meanwhile, over 22,000 tech workers have already been laid off this year — 16,000 in February alone.

Apparently, this signals a turning point in how companies structure teams and allocate talent. Intelligent systems are redefining how teams work, which skills are gaining value and where human roles still matter.

Amazon employees are voicing serious concerns about the company’s AI rollout.

Over 1,000 Amazon staff members anonymously signed an open letter addressed to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy and the senior leadership team last week. In the letter, employees warned that the company’s current AI strategy threatens jobs and the environment.

The signatories range from Whole Foods workers to IT staff and represent a small percentage of Amazon’s 1.53 million total employees, according to its third-quarter earnings report. More than 3,600 workers outside of Amazon also signed the letter.

Related: Amazon CEO Reveals the Real Reason Behind the Company’s 14,000 Job Cuts

In the open letter, the signatories claim that Amazon is “casting aside its climate goals to build AI” and point to the company’s annual emissions growing by 35% since 2019, despite a commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040.

Amazon strongly rejected the claims and defended its climate and AI investments. Amazon spokesperson Brad Glasser told Fortune in a statement on Tuesday that the letter’s claim that the company has put aside its climate goals is “categorically false and ignores the facts.”

“Amazon is already committed to powering our operations even more sustainably and investing in carbon-free energy,” Glasser said in a statement. “This includes supporting two advanced nuclear energy agreements and investing in more than 600 renewable energy projects worldwide.”

The letter also highlights Jassy’s remarks earlier this year that AI would cause Amazon’s workforce to shrink “in the next few years.” Jassy encouraged Amazon employees to use AI and participate in training on the technology.

The employees see Jassy’s comments as a statement that the company is “forcing” them to use AI while “investing in a future where it’s easier to discard us.” Workers are experiencing higher expectations for output and shorter timelines to complete projects, the letter states.

Related: Apple Conducted Rare Layoffs Focused on One Specific Team

Amazon laid off 14,000 employees in October, one of the largest job cuts in its history, as it made significant investments in AI infrastructure.

In a third-quarter earnings call, Amazon CFO Brian Olsavsky said that the company had spent $89.9 billion so far this year on its cloud computing business, Amazon Web Services, as well as AI infrastructure like data centers.

The open letter demands employee input in AI adoption. The signatories want Amazon to create working groups of non-managers across the company who will help decide how AI-related layoffs or hiring freezes are implemented. Employees would have a formal role in reviewing AI use across the company.

“The Amazon employees signing this letter believe in building a better world — not in building bunkers to fall back to,” the letter reads. “We want the promised gains from AI to give everyone more freedom.”

Amazon employees are voicing serious concerns about the company’s AI rollout.

Over 1,000 Amazon staff members anonymously signed an open letter addressed to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy and the senior leadership team last week. In the letter, employees warned that the company’s current AI strategy threatens jobs and the environment.

2026 is a year of intentional growth and focus. It’s about building better habits, learning new skills and refining how I work and live — creating balance between personal development and professional success.

For me, it isn’t about doing more; it’s about doing things better. I want this year to be focused, meaningful and aligned with both my personal growth and the evolution of my agency.

Here’s what I’m focusing on for personal and professional success in 2026.

Related: Cultivating A Growth Mindset: Strategies For Personal And Professional Development

1. Smarter hydration and recovery

According to CustomWater, water makes up about 75% of an adult’s body volume. I already drink plenty of water, train regularly and stay active — but in 2026, I’m focusing on hydrating smarter. I train intensely and drink several coffees a day, which dehydrates the body faster than I realized. Even though I drink a lot of water, I’ve noticed signs of dehydration — not because of the lack of fluids, but because of the lack of electrolytes.

That’s why in 2026, I’m adding more electrolytes to my routine to support energy, focus and recovery. Proper hydration isn’t just about drinking more; it’s about restoring balance, and good physical balance always translates into sharper work performance and mental clarity.

2. Learning Japanese

After already learning Russian and Spanish, I want to challenge myself with something completely different. Japanese isn’t just a language — it’s a mindset built around precision, respect and focus. Since I travel often across Asia, speaking Japanese would make my next journeys even more meaningful. The plan is to spend time in Japan before attending the SEO Conference in November 2026, combining personal exploration with professional inspiration.

According to Migaku, you don’t need to learn all 50,000 words that a native Japanese speaker knows to communicate effectively; mastering around 1,500 of the most common words allows you to understand roughly 80% of everyday Japanese. That makes fluency feel much more achievable, and I’m excited to approach it strategically, focusing on real-world conversations and cultural connections rather than perfection.

Related: The New Year Is Your New Opportunity

3. Automating agency operations with AI

In 2026, I plan to start automating many of our internal processes using AI. The goal is to make operations more efficient, minimize repetitive tasks and free up more time for strategy, creativity and deeper client work. According to an Upwork study, employees who use AI report an average productivity boost of 40%.

The long-term potential is even greater. Research from the University of Pennsylvania estimates that generative AI could increase global productivity and GDP by 1.5% by 2035 and nearly 3% by 2055, meaning AI adoption will have a lasting economic impact across industries. For agencies like mine, this represents a major opportunity to stay ahead of the curve by integrating AI not just as a tool but as a core part of how we work.

For me, automation is not about replacing people. It is about building smarter systems that enhance the work we already do and help the team perform at their highest level. By introducing AI into key parts of our workflow, such as reporting, content analysis, link prospecting and campaign tracking, we can reduce manual effort and improve precision. This will allow us to deliver faster results, make better data-driven decisions and dedicate more energy to what truly matters: strategy, creativity and relationships.

I view automation as an investment in capability and culture. The more intelligently we use technology, the more we can amplify human expertise. My goal is to create an agency that runs seamlessly, where technology takes care of the repetitive work and people focus on innovation, insight and long-term growth.

4. Expanding services and entering new verticals

In 2026, I plan to expand the agency’s services and reach new verticals. Until now, Create & Grow has focused primarily on SaaS, tech and marketing companies, but we are starting to work with clients across a wide range of industries. These include AI startups, ecommerce, education and sustainability-focused businesses.

By broadening our scope and refining our service offerings, we can bring our link building, digital PR and AI system optimization expertise to new sectors that are still untapped. The goal is to evolve our services in a way that supports long-term partnerships and delivers measurable growth, regardless of the industry.

Related: How to Find Clarity in Your Personal and Professional Life

5. Partnering for smarter service expansion

As the agency grows, I also plan to expand our service offerings by partnering with trusted specialists in areas outside our current focus. Instead of trying to do everything in-house, I want to collaborate with experts who excel in their fields.

For example, for community-driven visibility on platforms like Reddit, we’ll work with partners such as CrowdReply, who specialize in authentic engagement and discussion-based brand growth. Building a strong network of partners will allow us to deliver more complete strategies while staying focused on what we do best — link building, digital PR and SEO growth.

As 2026 unfolds, my focus is on growth that feels meaningful, not mechanical. It’s about refining habits, strengthening systems and building clarity in both life and business. Learning Japanese, optimizing Create & Grow’s processes and embracing AI are all part of a larger mindset shift rooted in balance, curiosity and efficiency.

True progress isn’t just about scaling; it’s about alignment. When personal growth and professional ambition move in the same direction, everything becomes more intentional and far more sustainable. This year is about evolving, not just expanding, and doing it with purpose.

2026 is a year of intentional growth and focus. It’s about building better habits, learning new skills and refining how I work and live — creating balance between personal development and professional success.

For me, it isn’t about doing more; it’s about doing things better. I want this year to be focused, meaningful and aligned with both my personal growth and the evolution of my agency.

Harit Pathak and his co-founders, Jaskirat Arora and Suryansh Tibarewal, never imagined the sports banter from their WhatsApp group chat would turn into a multimillion-dollar media business someday. But that’s exactly how EssentiallySports was born.

Before it became a top-10 U.S. sports media platform (per Comscore), EssentiallySports was just a passion project run by a group of Indian college students frustrated by the little coverage their favorite sports received.

Pathak — a diehard tennis and WWE fan — spent so much time debating sports online that he eventually turned those conversations into a public blog for friends and classmates. As their community grew, the trio leaned into Reddit threads and Facebook fan pages to drive traffic.

“For the first five and a half years, it was a passion project,” Pathak says. “It was never even intended to be a business in the first place.”

At one point, the founders were juggling full-time software and consulting jobs while running EssentiallySports on the side. Engagement had been growing steadily, but things kicked into a new gear during the 2019 US Open.

“We saw this huge spike in traffic,” Pathak says. “And we realized it was coming from a story about Rafael Nadal’s hair transplant.”

He calls it the company’s “eureka moment.”

“It showed us there’s real demand for journalism shaped by the fan’s perspective,” Pathak says. “Storytelling that captures what we call ‘the moment behind the moment.’”

That Nadal story would define EssentiallySports’ editorial strategy: they’re not just chasing game recaps or free agency updates. Instead, they dig for creative, unexpected angles — sometimes as granular as an out-of-place strand of hair on a legendary tennis player’s head.

“We try to keep straight reporting to a minimum,” Pathak says. “We focus on unique angles. Every piece of real estate on the site is intentional — we want to cover stories no one else is touching.”

Related: How a Niche Racquet Sport Became the Heart of This Entrepreneur’s Lifestyle Enterprise

Big fish in a small pond

The next major turning point for EssentiallySports was a familiar one for many companies: COVID. While most publications significantly reduced their output and staff, EssentiallySports seized the opportunity. They tapped into the wave of sports documentaries led by The Last Dance, treating each episode of the now-iconic series like a sporting event.

They also leaned into what Pathak calls “entity-based journalism,” where coverage is built around a specific figure rather than day-to-day news.

“There might not be big news about Michael Jordan every day, but people always want to read about him,” Pathak says.

Instead of refreshing newswires, the team combed through autobiographies, documentaries and old interviews to find nuggets they could turn into storylines.

“We realized you can go incredibly niche from a fandom standpoint — and that insight shaped our entire operational model,” Pathak says. “From our writers to our content strategists to our editors, everyone is a die-hard fan of something very specific. Instead of trying to cover everything, we double down on those hyper-focused passions.”

EssentiallySports’ NASCAR coverage is a perfect example of their strategy in action. When NASCAR was one of the few active leagues during COVID, the team doubled down — publishing so much content that, on some days, they even outpaced NASCAR’s official site.

The bet paid off. Fans were starving for around-the-clock coverage, and ES became the place to get it.

“There’s real interest in NASCAR and other under-covered sports, but there isn’t much coverage beyond the top teams or star drivers,” Pathak says. “Return readership was significantly higher than in some of the bigger sports we covered because we offered something unique — coverage of women NASCAR drivers and other storylines fans couldn’t find anywhere else. That’s when we started to see a loyal, regular reader base forming.”

While the traffic didn’t match giant leagues like the NBA or NFL, Pathak saw the value in being a big fish in a smaller pond.

“Our NASCAR newsletter was the first one we launched about two years ago,” he says. “And now, we’re at roughly 150,000 to 200,000 subscribers.”

Related: What Entrepreneurs Can Learn from Josh Hart’s Partnership with Tommy John

Zero VC funding, maximum control

That hyperfocus has led to hyper-success, with ES reaching topline revenue of around $20 million annually with ZERO outside investment.

“As a founding team, autonomy was a big deal for us,” Pathak says. “Especially since it wasn’t incepted as a business.”

However, when traffic doubled every quarter for nearly eight straight quarters, they had to start thinking about it differently.

“We’re very agile,” Pathak says. “So we can make moves our competitors can’t.”

Instead of pitching VC firms or courting angel investors, the founders started the business with $100 from their own pockets.

“The first hundred that we made took eight months,” Pathak laughs. “We used it to pay our hosting fees.”

Today, revenue primarily comes from online advertising, though ES has recently made efforts to diversify, building a sales team in the US to increase syndication revenue.

“Bootstrapping has its pros and cons,” Pathak says. “Sometimes, when the three of us go back to the drawing board, we ask ourselves, ‘Do we want to swing big on one of these opportunities or let it pass?’”

Bootstrapping is just one way EssentiallySports stands out. About half of its traffic comes from niche sports coverage, and less than 30% of its content overlaps with major competitors like Fox or ESPN.

“We’ve been doing this for 11 years, and like any business, there have been highs and lows,” Pathak says. “Media is still so platform-driven, and the ongoing challenge is navigating those platforms while growing our own loyal audience through newsletters, social, and everything we control.”

Ultimately, he wants fans to remember the EssentiallySports brand — not the platform it lives on or the VC firm behind it. And with the company growing from under 1 million pageviews in 2018 to more than 500 million annually today, it’s clear they’re here to stay.

Harit Pathak and his co-founders, Jaskirat Arora and Suryansh Tibarewal, never imagined the sports banter from their WhatsApp group chat would turn into a multimillion-dollar media business someday. But that’s exactly how EssentiallySports was born.

Before it became a top-10 U.S. sports media platform (per Comscore), EssentiallySports was just a passion project run by a group of Indian college students frustrated by the little coverage their favorite sports received.

Pathak — a diehard tennis and WWE fan — spent so much time debating sports online that he eventually turned those conversations into a public blog for friends and classmates. As their community grew, the trio leaned into Reddit threads and Facebook fan pages to drive traffic.

We are entering a defining moment in human history where our understanding of intelligence itself is evolving.

For decades, artificial intelligence has captured the world’s imagination. In recent years, it has started to become embedded everywhere you look — from our fridges that predict what groceries we need, to algorithms that help airlines and hotels decide customized rates to charge potential customers.

Yet, in the race to build smarter machines, many of us seem to have forgotten to look inward to access the boundless intelligence that already exists within us.

Related: How to Access the Inner Power That Makes You Irreplaceable in an AI-Driven World

Absolute Intelligence

This deeper, innate intelligence, or the consciousness that perceives, creates and connects all experience, is what Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar calls Absolute Intelligence. It is the original source from which both human cognition and artificial intelligence emerge. Unlike the data-driven intelligence of algorithms, Absolute Intelligence transcends computation. It is awareness itself, the silent field from which creativity, empathy and insight arise.

Now, the Institute of Absolute Intelligence, launched by the Art of Living Foundation, is pioneering a bridge between this inner intelligence and the accelerating world of AI. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the Institute seeks to reconnect people with the wellspring of awareness that powers both human and artificial cognition, reminding us that we are not separate from intelligence; we are intelligence.

Modern research supports this shift in understanding. The 2022 study “Supporting Cognition With Modern Technology: Distributed Cognition Today and in an AI-Enhanced Future,” published in Frontiers in Psychology, proposes that cognition is not confined to the brain; it is distributed across our environment, tools and relationships.

This means intelligence itself is not a fixed trait, but an emergent property of connection. When humans interact with technology, we co-create a cognitive system greater than the sum of its parts. AI, in this sense, is not a rival or something to be feared; it is an extension of our own distributed mind.

“With great power comes great responsibility,” wrote Voltaire in the 18^th century. As the potential impacts of AI grow, so does our collective responsibility. As technology continues to amplify our cognitive reach, we must ensure it also amplifies our humanity. It is here that Absolute Intelligence provides the missing compass. It is a reminder that consciousness precedes code, and that ethical, compassionate design begins with inner clarity.

Related: Forget AI Prompts. Here Are 5 Ways to Tap Into Your Inner Intelligence Instead.

The paradox of cognitive offloading

The 2022 study referenced above also highlights a fascinating phenomenon known as cognitive offloading — our growing tendency to delegate thinking tasks to technology. From using smartphones to navigate a drive we make daily, to storing reminders or tracking our health, we are externalizing more aspects of our memory and decision-making.

This allows individuals to function as “always-updated knowledge professionals,” strategically deploying insight while conserving mental bandwidth. Yet, this convenience carries a paradox: The more we offload, the more we risk diminishing the very faculties that make us uniquely human: Our intuition, discernment and capacity for deep focus.

Being able to harness and nurture our Absolute Intelligence helps address this paradox of cognitive outsourcing and offers a counterbalance to technological dependence by strengthening the internal architecture of awareness itself. By tapping into meditation, self-awareness and breathwork practices such as Sudarshan Kriya (SKY), we strengthen our inner clarity and stay in charge of our own minds.

At its core, the Institute of Absolute Intelligence explores how spiritual wisdom and cognitive science converge. Its programs include immersive experiences and “life-scan consultations” that help individuals perceive patterns across past, present and future decisions, much like how AI systems process large data sets to forecast outcomes. Yet, unlike algorithms, these experiences operate on intuition and awareness rather than data alone.

Related: Is Artificial Intelligence Replacing Your Intelligence?

The path forward

As AI becomes more embedded in our everyday lives, we need to learn to work with it, not against it. We need to shift from being observers of intelligence to realizing we are the source of intelligence. This philosophy echoes what many cognitive scientists are beginning to recognize: that intelligence may be less about thinking and more about being.

When Gurudev introduced Sudarshan Kriya (SKY) breathwork to millions, he showed that calmness and clarity are not abstract ideals; they are trainable, attainable states. The Institute of Absolute Intelligence now builds on that legacy, teaching how to access the “source code” of awareness itself. The institute invites scientific inquiry and exploration to unveil new dimensions of human potential.

In my work with leaders and organizations, I have seen that decision-making, creativity and resilience all improve when the mind operates from a place of inner coherence. Absolute Intelligence is not mystical; it’s practical. It is the optimization of the most advanced system we know: the human mind.

In a world captivated by AI’s relentless progress, the next great innovation will need to imbibe a human awakening to ensure societies thrive and flourish. The Institute of Absolute Intelligence reminds us that the evolution of AI must be matched by an evolution of consciousness.

We have built machines that learn faster than ever before. Now it’s time to remember and nurture the one thing no algorithm can replicate: awareness itself.

We are entering a defining moment in human history where our understanding of intelligence itself is evolving.

For decades, artificial intelligence has captured the world’s imagination. In recent years, it has started to become embedded everywhere you look — from our fridges that predict what groceries we need, to algorithms that help airlines and hotels decide customized rates to charge potential customers.

Instagram is requiring its U.S.-based employees to return to the office five days a week starting February 2, in one of the strictest return-to-office policies at big tech companies. Meanwhile, its parent company, Meta, is maintaining a hybrid work schedule for other divisions.

Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri told staff in an internal memo leaked on Monday that Instagram will expect U.S. employees with assigned desks to be in the office full-time starting February 2. Mosseri wrote that there are exceptions. For example, Instagram does not expect New York employees to come back full-time until the company has alleviated space limitations.

“2026 is going to be tough, as was 2025, but I’m excited about our momentum and our plans for next year,” Mosseri wrote in the memo.

Related: Cameo Is Giving Its Corporate Headquarters Employees a $10,000 Raise — to Come Into the Office More Often

A Meta spokesperson confirmed to CNBC that this five-day requirement applies only to Instagram and not to other Meta divisions like Facebook and WhatsApp, which remain on a three-day-in-office hybrid policy introduced in September 2023. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg confirmed Meta’s hybrid schedule in January at a company-wide all-hands meeting.

Instagram is now one of the most prominent tech companies to mandate a fully in-person office schedule while its parent company, Meta, maintains a more flexible standard.

Mosseri wrote in the memo that Instagram’s shift to fully in-person work will boost creativity, collaboration and competitiveness as the platform faces pressure from rivals like YouTube. As of November, Instagram held 7.11% of the social media market, while YouTube followed close behind at 6.98%, per StatCounter.

“I believe that we are more creative and collaborative when we are together in-person,” Mosseri said in the memo, adding, “I felt this pre-Covid.”

Instagram’s move towards fully in-person work goes further than most large tech companies, which have typically chosen hybrid work models. Google, for instance, shifted to a hybrid work week, with three days in the office and two days remote, in May 2021. Microsoft mandated earlier this year that employees come into the office three days a week starting in February 2026.

Related: Microsoft’s Return-to-Office Mandate Is ‘Necessary for Innovation’

A handful of big companies, including Amazon, AT&T and Dell, have implemented five-day in-office requirements this year, arguing that a full-time physical presence streamlines operations and improves collaboration.

Alongside the return-to-office mandate, Mosseri is searching for ways to improve operations at Instagram. For example, he wrote in the memo that recurring meetings will be canceled every six months and only reinstated if deemed necessary. He also asked teams to present working prototypes of products at meetings instead of slide decks or lengthy documents, and to focus on execution.

“I want most of your time focused on building great products, not preparing for meetings,” Mosseri wrote.

Instagram had over 181 million U.S. users as of October, per Statista.

Instagram is requiring its U.S.-based employees to return to the office five days a week starting February 2, in one of the strictest return-to-office policies at big tech companies. Meanwhile, its parent company, Meta, is maintaining a hybrid work schedule for other divisions.

Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri told staff in an internal memo leaked on Monday that Instagram will expect U.S. employees with assigned desks to be in the office full-time starting February 2. Mosseri wrote that there are exceptions. For example, Instagram does not expect New York employees to come back full-time until the company has alleviated space limitations.

Entrepreneurship isn’t always a fairy tale with billion-dollar exits, TED talks and champagne celebrations. Sometimes, it’s about starting over. And then starting over again, and again.

I’ve had to rebuild my career not once, not twice, but three times. Not because I failed, but because life threw me a plot twist. And through it all, I’ve learned a few key truths that every entrepreneur should carry in their back pocket, especially when the road gets rough.

First zero: Building a PR agency from scratch

In 2016, I left my job at the largest PR agency in my home country and started a small PR firm. I wasn’t new to PR as I had the experience, but running a company is an altogether different ball game. I had to figure out how to register the business, hire a team, manage clients and pitch to the media, all while trying not to combust.

In those early days, I was fighting for attention, as big corporations preferred established names, and I wasn’t one of them. But then I had a mindset shift, and I realized I was talking to the wrong crowd. Startups were the ones hungry for PR. They needed the visibility but couldn’t afford big agencies, so that was my niche.

Once I found the right audience, things moved. Slowly at first, with two clients in six months, but from there, momentum built. I thought I had found my forever path, but life had other plans.

Related: This Police Psychologist’s Simple Framework Changed How I Handle Failure

Second zero: Uprooted by opportunity

In 2018, I moved to the United States. With the move, I got the opportunity to expand my business. What I didn’t expect was the cultural and logistical gap. Time zones made client calls in my home country painful, and the remote work culture hadn’t caught on yet. So, after six months of juggling, I had to admit it wasn’t working.

I was in a new country, with no network, and starting over again. I leaned into a skill I’d sharpened in PR — writing. I signed up on a freelancing platform and took every gig I could. From website copy and corporate bios to resume writing and blogs. It was far from glamorous, but it paid the bills and eventually, it paid more than I expected. Then came another hit.

The platform I was working on got shut down. Years of reviews, ratings and client work were gone. I had no way to prove that I’d done the work, as most of it was ghostwriting, and just like that, I was back to zero again.

Third zero: A long-forgotten dream reignites

At this point, most people would’ve thrown in the towel, but quitting was never on the table for me. I’ve always been self-motivated, not because it’s trendy, but because it’s how I survive.

So, I went back to something that had lived quietly in the back of my mind. I always wanted to start a magazine to spotlight underrepresented brands and founders doing real, meaningful work without the attention of the mainstream media. Launching a full-blown publication felt like too much, at least for now. But I had stories to tell, and some platforms gave me a voice. I began contributing regularly, writing about entrepreneurs, startups and stories that needed to be heard.

I also got back into PR, but this time, I’m doing it my way with a stronger voice, clearer vision and zero tolerance for clients who ghosted after discovery calls.

Here’s what all these years and experiences have taught me about starting over.

1. Zero doesn’t mean failure; it means freedom. When things fall apart, it hurts, but it also clears the slate. Starting over gives you the rare opportunity to choose again — this time, more wisely.
2. Your skills are your safety net. When businesses collapse or markets shift, your core skills can carry you. Writing, strategy, marketing, communication — these will always be in demand.
3. Niche is everything. Stop trying to be everything to everyone. Find the people who need exactly what you offer, even if they can’t pay premium prices yet. Loyalty and trust go further than you think.
4. It’s not about hustle, it’s about resilience. Burnout isn’t a badge of honor, but persistence is. Keep showing up, even if it’s just one article, one pitch, one email at a time.
5. You are allowed to evolve. Your first idea doesn’t have to be your last. Pivot, reinvent and grow, but never quit.

Entrepreneurship isn’t linear. It’s messy, unpredictable and rarely follows the script, but here’s the thing — every time I started from zero, I built something better. I came back wiser and stronger.

If you’re staring down your own version of zero today, take it from me — It’s not the end. It might just be the beginning of your best chapter yet.

Entrepreneurship isn’t always a fairy tale with billion-dollar exits, TED talks and champagne celebrations. Sometimes, it’s about starting over. And then starting over again, and again.

I’ve had to rebuild my career not once, not twice, but three times. Not because I failed, but because life threw me a plot twist. And through it all, I’ve learned a few key truths that every entrepreneur should carry in their back pocket, especially when the road gets rough.

Michael and Susan Dell are putting $6.25 billion into savings plans called “Trump accounts,” seeding $250 into investment accounts for 25 million children. It’s one of the largest direct philanthropic gifts ever made to Americans, and it dramatically expands a federal program that currently provides $1,000 to babies born between 2025 and 2028.

The Dells’ money extends eligibility to kids up to age 10 in middle- and lower-income ZIP codes. If the program succeeds, millions of children could start adulthood with real assets instead of debt.

Michael Dell says the idea mirrors how he built his computer empire: cut out middlemen, go straight to customers, and scale fast. Here, the “customers” are children, and the product is a financial future.

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McDonald’s Grinch Meal Is Here—And It Includes a Surprise In a Bag

^McDonald’s

McDonald’s is rolling out The Grinch Meal nationwide on Tuesday, Dec. 2, tapping the famously grouchy holiday character for a limited-time promo. The meal, first tested in Canada in 2024, was such a hit that bringing it to the U.S. was a “no-brainer,” said Alyssa Buetikofer, McDonald’s U.S. chief marketing and customer experience officer.

The bundle includes a Big Mac or 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, Dill Pickle “Grinch Salt” McShaker Fries, and a medium drink. The fries come with pickle seasoning and a McShaker bag so customers can mix their own.

Each meal also includes a pair of Grinch-themed McDonald’s socks in red, blue, yellow, or green. The Grinch Meal will be available at participating locations for a limited time, and pricing will vary by restaurant.

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New York City Is Close to Opening Its First Casinos

^{Photo by Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images}

New York state officials have finally approved a bid from an investment group led by Mets owner Steve Cohen to build a casino next to Citi Field in Queens. The project, which still requires a final financial review, ends years of tense negotiations over where the city’s first legal casinos would go. Two other sites in the Bronx also received approval.

Cohen plans to spend billions on a hotel and concert venue connected to the stadium, pitching it as an economic boost for Flushing, Queens.

Cohen isn’t the only winner. Donald Trump’s company will reportedly receive $115 million due to a prior licensing deal tied to land next to one of the approved casino sites.

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It’s ‘Losing Its Cool’: Lululemon’s Founder Throws Shade at Brand and CEO

^{Taehoon Kim/Bloomberg via Getty Images}

Chip Wilson, founder of Lululemon, is slamming the brand again, saying the company is “losing its cool” under current leadership. He criticized the brand’s direction and said a “finance-focused CEO” lacks the vision to deliver standout product.

This is not the first time Wilson has publicly criticized the company he helped build. He previously bashed what he views as misguided product choices, cheap collaborations, and a shift away from Lululemon’s original focus on premium athletic wear.

Some analysts and former employees say Wilson has a point: U.S. sales are slipping, and the company’s market value has taken a big hit this year. But defenders of current CEO Calvin McDonald note that profit and store expansion have grown under his watch, and argue the criticism misses the reality of a much larger, more global Lululemon.

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YouTube Wants to Stop Deepfakes — But First It Needs Your Face

^{Laurence Dutton/Getty Images}

YouTube lauched its new deepfakes to help creators spot and remove AI deepfakes. But it comes with a catch: to use it, creators must upload a government ID and a biometric video of their face, a requirement that has alarmed privacy experts who spoke to CNBC.

YouTube insists the data is only used to verify identity, and says Google has never used creators’ biometrics to train its AI models. The company is reviewing its sign-up language to reduce confusion, but the underlying policy will stay the same.

Creators and rights advocates worry that once biometric data sits inside Google’s ecosystem, future use could be hard to control. The stakes rise as deepfakes spread and a person’s face becomes a valuable digital asset.

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Sam Altman Just Declared ‘Code Red’ at OpenAI

^{Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg via Getty Images}

Sam Altman is worried ChatGPT is losing its edge. The OpenAI CEO has declared a “code red” inside the company and ordered teams to stop work on other products so they can fix the chatbot’s performance, according to an internal memo. He wants ChatGPT to be faster, more reliable, and better at understanding users.

Altman’s urgency stems from Google’s Gemini model, which recently beat OpenAI on key tests and added millions of new users. Anthropic is also gaining momentum with corporate clients, tightening the race.

OpenAI is now delaying advertising tools, health agents, and a personal assistant while it scrambles to keep ChatGPT on top.

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Michael and Susan Dell are putting $6.25 billion into savings plans called “Trump accounts,” seeding $250 into investment accounts for 25 million children. It’s one of the largest direct philanthropic gifts ever made to Americans, and it dramatically expands a federal program that currently provides $1,000 to babies born between 2025 and 2028.

The Dells’ money extends eligibility to kids up to age 10 in middle- and lower-income ZIP codes. If the program succeeds, millions of children could start adulthood with real assets instead of debt.

Michael Dell says the idea mirrors how he built his computer empire: cut out middlemen, go straight to customers, and scale fast. Here, the “customers” are children, and the product is a financial future.

Workers are using AI tools to automate significant tasks, freeing up time for personal activities — often without their employer’s knowledge or permission, according to a new report released Monday from Business Insider.

For example, Noah Olson, a software engineer who worked for a small roofing company in Ohio, used AI to finish about half of his tasks during the two years he was with the company. He didn’t tell his employer he used AI to complete tasks early and spent the rest of his time at work browsing Reddit and YouTube leisurely.

“I was copying and pasting all of my tasks into an AI agent such as Cursor or Claude Code, and I would let it do the work,” Olsen told Business Insider. “So instead of having to work about 40 hours a week, I would work around 20 hours.”

Related: A Town in Connecticut Is Experimenting with a 4-Day Workweek — and It Seems to Be Working

Olson isn’t the only one. A global survey conducted earlier this year by KPMG and the University of Melbourne found that 57% of the more than 30,000 workers surveyed said they have used AI at work without disclosing it. This group has passed off AI-generated work as their own, per the findings.

Rapid advancements in AI’s ability to handle complex work tasks, like generating PowerPoint presentations and research reports, fuel the trend of using AI tools in the workplace. AI often leads to “polished, completed reports and spreadsheets that look incredible,” Glenn Hopper, an AI consultant, told Business Insider.

“If you didn’t know AI did it, you would think someone took hours to create something like this,” Hopper told the outlet.

Related: OpenAI Is Paying Ex-Investment Bankers $150 an Hour to Train Its AI

A McKinsey report released last week found that current AI technology could theoretically automate 57% of work hours in the U.S. today. The number is an estimate of how technology could change the tasks that people complete, not a prediction of job losses. The report pointed out that AI can handle more routine tasks, freeing up workers to apply their skills to new contexts. For instance, workers can spend less time on basic research and more time framing questions and interpreting them.

However, using AI comes with the risk of AI hallucinations or inaccuracies — leading to costly mistakes. Big Four consulting firm Deloitte was caught using AI in a $290,000 report published in July after an external researcher found at least 20 instances of AI hallucinations in the study, including citations of fictional academic research papers. Deloitte updated the study with a note that it had used AI to help write the report. The firm had to partially refund the Australian government for the study.

Deloitte came under further scrutiny last week when a Canadian newspaper reported that a $1 million healthcare report it provided the Canadian government featured fake citations generated from fictional academic papers. In response, Deloitte Canada said that it was revising the report.

Workers are using AI tools to automate significant tasks, freeing up time for personal activities — often without their employer’s knowledge or permission, according to a new report released Monday from Business Insider.

For example, Noah Olson, a software engineer who worked for a small roofing company in Ohio, used AI to finish about half of his tasks during the two years he was with the company. He didn’t tell his employer he used AI to complete tasks early and spent the rest of his time at work browsing Reddit and YouTube leisurely.

Steve Jobs’ influence on modern technology, design and communication is impossible to overstate. From the iPhone and Mac to Pixar and digital music, his ideas transformed how we work, create and connect. For entrepreneurs, leaders, and creators, Jobs’ greatest contribution isn’t just what he built — it’s the principles he lived by.

After studying Jobs’ career and philosophy for years, I’ve distilled his approach into seven powerful rules anyone can adopt. These Steve Jobs success principles can help you unlock creativity, strengthen leadership and bring bold ideas to life.

1. Do what you love

Jobs believed passion was the ultimate competitive advantage. He famously said, “People with passion can change the world for the better.” When asked what advice he’d give aspiring entrepreneurs, he offered this simple guidance: “I’d get a job as a busboy or something until I figured out what I was really passionate about.”

Passion fuels resilience, endurance and innovation—especially when challenges hit.
Key takeaway: Purpose-driven work leads to higher creativity and long-term success.

2. Put a dent in the universe

Jobs’ leadership was anchored in big, audacious vision. When convincing then-Pepsi President John Sculley to join Apple, he delivered one of the most famous pitches in business history: “Do you want to sell sugar water for the rest of your life, or do you want to change the world?”

Great leaders think beyond products. They pursue missions that inspire teams and attract customers.
Key takeaway: Vision is a powerful driver for innovation, brand loyalty and organizational momentum.

Related: Steve Jobs’ Surprising First Business Venture

3. Make connections

Jobs defined creativity as “connecting things.” He believed innovation flourishes when people explore diverse interests and experiences. His calligraphy class — seemingly irrelevant at the time — shaped the Macintosh’s groundbreaking typefaces. His travels through India and Asia influenced Apple’s emphasis on simplicity, intuition and beauty.

Don’t stay in your lane. Expand your inputs to expand your ideas.
Key takeaway: Cross-disciplinary thinking is essential for original ideas and breakthrough products.

4. Say no to 1,000 things

Focus was one of Jobs’ greatest strengths. When he returned to Apple in 1997, he cut the company’s product line from 350 items to just 10. This allowed Apple to pour its best talent and energy into a small number of world-class products.

Jobs was proud of what Apple chose not to do.
Key takeaway: Strategic prioritization builds clarity, alignment, and product excellence.

5. Create insanely different experiences

Jobs understood that true innovation goes beyond hardware and software — it extends to the customer experience. When creating the Apple Store, he insisted the goal wasn’t selling boxes. It was enriching lives.

From the layout to the lighting to Genius Bar support, every detail was designed to create a seamless emotional connection between customer and brand.

Key takeaway: Exceptional customer experiences differentiate great companies from good ones.

Related: 10 Things to Thank Steve Jobs For

6. Master the message

Jobs was widely recognized as one of the greatest corporate storytellers in history. His keynotes didn’t just present information — they entertained, educated, and inspired. Every slide was intentional. Every moment was choreographed. Every message was clear.

Even the best ideas fail without powerful communication.
Key takeaway: Effective storytelling amplifies your impact, influence, and brand presence.

7. Sell dreams, not products

Jobs understood something many businesses overlook: customers don’t simply buy devices — they buy possibility. This is why the iPad features a single home button. Complexity was removed so users could focus on what they could create, learn or become.

Your audience ultimately cares about their goals, not your features.
Key takeaway: Brands that speak to customer aspirations build loyalty and emotional connection.

Related: Remembering Apple’s Steve Jobs

The final lesson: dream bigger

One of the best stories that captures Jobs’ mindset involves an executive who called him for guidance while reinventing the Disney Store. Jobs offered just two words: “dream bigger.”

That might be the most powerful leadership lesson he ever shared. See genius in your “crazy” ideas. Believe in the vision others can’t yet see. Defend it, refine it, and bring it to life.

These seven rules of success — passion, vision, curiosity, focus, experience design, storytelling, and dream-driven thinking — are the principles that propelled Steve Jobs’ remarkable journey. They can help any leader or entrepreneur tap into their own potential to innovate and inspire.

Steve Jobs’ influence on modern technology, design and communication is impossible to overstate. From the iPhone and Mac to Pixar and digital music, his ideas transformed how we work, create and connect. For entrepreneurs, leaders, and creators, Jobs’ greatest contribution isn’t just what he built — it’s the principles he lived by.