Big corporations are starting to see AI as more foe than friend

Big corporations are starting to see AI as more foe than friend. Employees have long felt the wrath of AI since ChatGPT's launch in November 2022, with over 83.9k Silicon Valley jobs slashed this year, following the AI-fueled layoff frenzy in 2023 that left around 200k employees unemployed. The job cuts were the result of optimism for an AI-led future at lower operational costs, but now 56% of Fortune 500 companies cite AI as a risk factor in their annual reports — a significant bump from just 9% in 2022.

Bigwigs aren’t worried about the loss of human touch. The primary concern is keeping up with the competition, some of which are more adept at exploiting what was meant as an aid to workers, not a replacement. Hostile consumer sentiment due to ethical and privacy concerns surrounding the tech has also started impacting the reputation of companies advertising their use of AI, forcing executives to start reconsidering its inclusion.

The industries with the largest concerns: According to the Financial Times, 90% of US media and entertainment companies and 86% of software and technology companies called “fast-growing” AI systems a business risk. Over half of healthcare, financial, and retail services, and aerospace companies voiced the same concerns. Netflix, already in a struggle with user-generated content, is worried that AI use by their competitors will affect its “ability to compete effectively” and that “operations could be adversely impacted.”

As loneliness becomes a modern epidemic, a new breed of apps is swooping in to help strangers connect. Forget dating apps — The Breakfast wants to unite people over a shared meal, arranging dinners in several cities around the world, platonically connecting folks over food, promising “No dating or networking. Just breakfast.”

The loneliness epidemic: One in five workers report feeling lonely, and the numbers climb the less time spent at the office. Some 21% of hybrid employees and 25% of fully remote workers feel lonely, according to a survey conducted by Gallup in February. Apps like The Breakfast are hitting the ground running to create a space where friendships can thrive, especially for those who crave more than push notifications from Slack and Email.

As people ditch the swiping game for real connections, big names are following suit. Bumble, the dating app that wants to be so much more, recently snapped up Geneva, an app focused on fostering friendships, even after launching Bumble BFF mode on their app. Bumble CEO Lidiane Jones noted that younger users are feeling increasingly isolated, and that “platonic bonds [are] core to the company’s future business.” Her sentiments were echoed by other Silicon Valley execs, including Maxime Barbier, co-founder and CEO of Timeleft, who says that dating app fatigue is the reason behind the change in user behavior.