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Amazon plans to lay off an additional 9,000 employees over the next several weeks, adding to the 18,000 workers it laid off starting in late 2022. The latest job cuts will be concentrated in Amazon Web Services, Twitch, advertising, and the PTX (people, experiences, and tech) units. More: - In a memo to employees, CEO Andy Jassy cited the “uncertain economy," saying Amazon has decided “to be more streamlined in our costs and headcount.”
- In January, he confirmed that Amazon would lay off 18,000 employees, up from previous estimates of 10,000 workers.
- The latest job cuts weren't included in that round because not all of Amazon's teams had finished their assessments at the same time last year.
- Instead of rushing through the analyses without diligence, Amazon chose to share these decisions as we’ve made them so people had the information as soon as possible," Jassy wrote.
Zoom Out: - Last month, Amazon said it expects slower growth this year amid a pullback in spending.
- At that time, the company reported fourth-quarter sales of $149.2B, a 9% increase from the prior year, though it forecasted that sales in the current quarter will be lower than expected.
- Amazon Web Services, its cloud division, reported 20% sales growth for the quarter, a slowdown over the previous quarter.
- Many cloud customers are cutting their spending in the midst of economic uncertainty, executives said.
THE VERGE 
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Microsoft is preparing to launch its new Xbox mobile gaming store as early as 2024. The Xbox Store would operate on mobile and other devices, directly competing with Apple's App Store and the Google Play Store. More: - Microsoft is seeking to capitalize on the EU's Digital Markets Act, which will require Apple and Google to open up their ecosystems, allowing other companies to launch alternative app stores on Apple and Android devices.
- Microsoft gaming chief Phil Spencer called the law a "huge opportunity," adding that the company wants to build toward "a world that we think will be coming where those devices are opened up."
- In addition to the Digital Markets Act, an Xbox mobile games store would also depend on the approval of Microsoft's purchase of of video game maker Activision Blizzard, which would give it a larger portfolio of mobile games including "Call of Duty: Mobile."
- While Xbox offers a cloud-based gaming service for iPhones, the games aren't playable via the App Store.
Zoom out: - Meanwhile, Apple is planning to allow alternative app stores on iOS in Europe to comply with new EU rules.
- The Digital Markets Act — which requires all "digital gatekeepers" to open up their platforms to outside companies and developers — takes effect across the EU in 2023, though companies will have until 2024 to comply.
- Apple, however, could start allowing alternative app stores via an iOS 17 update in Europe in late 2023.
FINANCIAL TIMES
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The Kremlin has ordered employees working for the Russian presidential administration to stop using iPhones over alleged concerns about espionage and hacking, according to a Kommersant report. Kremlin officials are concerned that iPhones may be more exposed to Western-based intelligence agencies. More: - Sergei Kiriyenko, first deputy chief of administration staff, reportedly told the employees to replace their iPhones with other devices by April 1.
- According to the Kommersant newspaper, the Kremlin may provide the employees with a smartphone that runs a different operating system, which could make them less vulnerable to security threats.
- The directive applies to the Kremlin's information and communication technologies and infrastructure team, as well as employees who are making preparations for Russia's next presidential election in 2024.
- While he did not confirm the report, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that any smartphone, whether it runs iOS or Android, "has a fairly transparent mechanism" and is "not to be used for official business."
- Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin's longest-serving since leader Josef Stalin, hasn't confirmed if he will run for re-election next year.
REUTERS
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Netflix plans to add 40 more mobile games to its library this year, including Ustwo’s "Monument Valley " and "Monument Valley 2." Since lauching in November 2021, the streamer's mobile gaming service has released 55 titles. More: - Unlimited access to the games is included as part of a Netflix subscription.
- Ustwo CEO María Sayans said the Netflix versions of "Monument Valley" and its successor will offer in-app purchases when they launch sometime in 2024.
- Overall, Netflix said it has 70 mobile games under development at partner studios and 16 games at its in-house studios.
- It plans to release new mobile games on a monthly basis, including “indie darlings, award-winning hits, RPGs, narrative adventures, puzzle games, and everything in between."
- "Mighty Quest: Rogue Palace," a rogue-lite game set from Ubisoft, is the next to release on April 18.
Zoom Out: - The moves highlight Netflix's ongoing expansion into gaming as it seeks to draw in and retain subscribers.
- On Oct. 31, the streaming giant acquired its sixth gaming studio, the Seattle-based game developer Spry Fox.
TECHCRUNCH
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YouTubers who promoted the bankrupt crypto exchange FTX were named in a $1B class-action lawsuit led by private investor Edwin Garrison. Plaintiffs argue that the YouTubers, including Andrei Jikh, Jaspreet Singh, and others, promoted the FTX crypto fraud without revealing details about their compensation and sponsorships. More: - The lawsuit consolidates several class-action cases, according to Moskowitz Law Firm, which is representing the plaintiffs.
- Some plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit are from different countries, and all bought unregistered securities from FTX.
- The suit claims that the defendants promoted this unregistered security for their own or FTX's financial benefits.
- The plaintiffs are seeking damages of over $1B.
Zoom Out: - In October, Kim Kardashian agreed to pay the SEC $1.26M to settle charges that she had failed to disclose receiving payment to promote a cryptocurrency asset.
- The SEC has emphasized that cryptocurrency and digital assets are generally considered securities, and the traditional rules governing securities still apply.
FORTUNE
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A coalition of major music and other organizations launched the Human Artistry Campaign to ensure that AI technologies are created and used "in ways that support human culture and artistry — and not ways that replace or erode it." The campaign supports, among other ideas, that copyright should protect only the "unique value of human intellectual creativity." More: - Members include the Recording Industry Association of America, the European Composer and Songwriter Alliance, the NFL Players Association, SAG-AFTRA, the Artist Rights Alliance, and others.
- The coalition shared its principles for AI best practices.
- It's asking people to sign an online petition supporting the seven principles, which state that, "Technology has long empowered human expression, and AI will be no different" and, "Human-created works will continue to play an essential role in our lives."
- The principles also emphasize that using copyrighted works and the voices of human performers requires licensing and adherence to laws, among other beliefs.
MIXMAG
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Community Corner Last week, we asked our community, "Do you think the legal system will be able to keep pace with tech advancements?" Here are some highlighted responses we received: - Tori Master (p/tori-master), CEO at REVital, answered, “The biggest legal challenge I see with AI is a property right. In case something being generated by an AI, who owns the rights to the resulting product? Is it a person using AI? AI itself? Could it be its creator? I believe we'll see a slew of legal cases in the near future. As AI gains popularity and people start to make money on the generated content, there's going to be a lot of tugging the proverbial blanket.”
- Tim Dibble (p/TPCynic) answered, “The difficulty is that technology growth has reached a fever pitch of advancing faster than humans can catch up. We currently look at ChatGPT as "artificial intelligence" when it is in its infancy and not really intelligent at all. It is to the AI that will be what a Stone Wheel was to the modern F1 racer. AI will be able to ask its own questions, to program itself and to develop itself in ways we can't even imagine. It already surpasses much of mankind in many ways, and the legal system will be slow to catch on.”
Join the conversations at Inside.com, and we may shout out your name and business, or contact you for more! ⭐️
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- The iPhone 15 Pro, due out in September, will reportedly have a mute button, while the non-Pro models will maintain the mute switch.
- Taiwanese PC maker Acer unveiled a two-wheeled "ebii" e-bike that can automatically change its motor output based on a user's route and pedaling.
- Rolls-Royce will shut down its AI venture known as the R2 Factory after talks to secure a buyer fell through.
- Google announced a price hike for its YouTube TV cable replacement service. The cost will rise from $64.99 a month to $72.99 a month.
- Linden Labs is developing a mobile version of the "Second Life" metaverse game, which counted 900,000 active users during the pandemic. A beta version is due out later this year.
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 |  | Beth is a writer and editor at Inside.com covering artificial intelligence and daily technology news. She has written the Inside AI newsletter since 2019. You can reach her at Beth.Duckett@inside.com. |   | | Editor | Eduardo Garcia is a writer and editor based in New York. He is the author of "Things You Can Do," an illustrated book about climate action. Bylines in The New York Times, The Guardian, Slate, Scientific American, and others. In one of his previous lives, Eduardo worked as a Reuters correspondent in Latin America for nearly a decade. | |
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