AI POWERED SEARCH
Laid-off employee attends 55 interviews in seven months but receives no job offers; Netizens explain why taking a 50% pay cut makes sense
A laid-off jobseeker's Reddit post has sparked discussion about the increasingly difficult employment market after revealing that 175 job applications, 55 interviews and 25 final-round appearances have resulted in zero job offers. With unemployment benefits exhausted after nearly seven months, the individual has turned to an AI agent to find suitable vacancies, customise resumes, prepare for interviews and track applications. The post also prompted other users to share their experiences of repeated rejections, referrals and the challenges of securing a job despite extensive preparation.
Diwali Patakha from China: The world's fireworks capital is reinventing its centuries-old industry
Liuyang in China's Hunan province is a significant hub for global fireworks production. The county supplies around 60% of the domestic fireworks market and 70% of exports. This industry has evolved to incorporate advanced technology, like digital ignition and AI. Although safety measures have improved since past catastrophic incidents, risks still exist.
Environmental groups embrace AI, even as they warn of data center impacts
Environmental organisations are increasingly leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance conservation efforts and analyze ecological data. Many express concerns about the environmental impact caused by data centers that support AI technologies. The energy and water consumption of these centers is projected to double by 2030, raising emissions concerns.
Amazon rolls out text-based shopping through Alexa
Amazon said the new text feature lets users research and compare products, track deals and price drops, and have Alexa for Shopping complete purchases on their behalf.
Google sued over suicide-related AI chats on school computer
The parents of a 13-year-old girl have sued Google claiming she planned a potential suicide and funeral using its AI technology on a school-issued computer. Developers of fast-evolving AI technology are facing a litany of similar lawsuits in the US. OpenAI faces several wrongful death suits, including from the parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine, a teenager who committed suicide allegedly using methods advised by ChatGPT. Google and the startup Character.
Stop AI from Eroding Your Brand
Artificial intelligence is changing how companies operate and how customers experience their brands. New research suggests that companies with lower levels of “brand debt”—the trust, relevance, and consistency lost when products, experiences, and decisions drift away from customer expectations—are significantly more likely to outperform their peers. Drawing on a benchmark of 60 companies and lessons from Bose’s digital transformation, the lessons here are that managing brand debt should become an enterprise-wide priority rather than a marketing exercise. As AI increasingly shapes customer interactions, companies that manage brand debt deliberately will be better positioned to strengthen trust, sustain growth, and preserve competitive advantage
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Google turns off AI for schoolchildren by default
Google has said it will switch off its AI tools for schoolchildren by default, after drawing criticism for pushing artificial intelligence features to students while schools are still debating how the technology should be used in classrooms. The feature was switched on by default for students at schools that had already enabled Gemini.
AI shopping agents could threaten Amazon and Walmart's ad business
Retail powerhouses Walmart and Amazon are also the world's two largest retail media businesses, dominating the estimated $74.4 billion in US retail media spending with a combined 88% share of that market, according to projections from data firm Emarketer. But digital assistants could soon disrupt that business.
Google loses nearly half a trillion in market value: What went wrong with Alphabet?
Alphabet lost $482 billion in market value after its shares plunged nearly 13% following disappointing third-quarter results. Despite 103% growth in Google Cloud and more than 1 billion Gemini users, weaker search revenue and negative free cash flow raised fresh concerns about AI spending and Google’s advertising business.
OpenAI’s India user base doubles; Rapido GOV quadruples
Happy Tuesday! India has become ChatGPT’s largest market globally, with its user base doubling. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
First Apple Intelligence features land in China, with Alibaba’s Qwen on board
The tech giant has partnered with Alibaba to bring its Qwen model into some of the experiences. Chinese users will be able to use Qwen through Siri, Writing Tools, and Visual Intelligence, enabling text and image understanding. Users can access it by signing in with a Qwen account or through Apple, the company said in a blog post.
AI search gains 3-fold influence over traditional search in shopping decisions: McKinsey
McKinsey's survey, conducted in June 2026, covered around 21,000 consumers across 11 markets. It found that 56 per cent of consumers had used standalone AI chat or search tools for shopping in the previous three months, compared with 27 per cent who had used AI shopping assistants operated by retailers.
Millennials lead AI shopping adoption in India at 84%, ahead of Gen Z: McKinsey
In India, Millennials are leading the adoption of artificial intelligence for shopping, with 84 percent using AI tools. Gen Z follows closely at 74 percent, showcasing a growing trend across age groups. The report reveals that India ranks second globally for AI shopping adoption, with 76 percent of consumers utilizing such tools. Trust in AI-powered shopping is notably high in India, with 87 percent expressing confidence in AI tools.
Gen Z rewrites festive gifting with AI-assisted picks, artisanal hampers and self-gifting
Gen Zers are embracing self-gifting while shopping for family and friends. Personalised gifts reflecting interests and lifestyles are becoming the norm during festivals. There is an increasing focus on supporting small businesses and understanding product provenance.
When my AI bargains with your AI: The next great bazaar may be where our agents haggle for milliseconds
AI agents are evolving from simple task execution to negotiating on behalf of users in commerce. These agents can analyze data efficiently, enabling faster negotiations and potentially better deals. Businesses are already preparing for AI-to-AI negotiations, which may reshape the landscape of commerce. While this could benefit consumers, it may also create disparities based on the sophistication of agents.
In 2026, Sonya Jin and Aadi Nashikkar-led Phinity Labs raised $5.2 million to let AI agents design computer chips from text prompts
Phinity Labs has raised $5.2 million to develop AI agents that can design computer chips from text prompts. Founders Sonya Jin and Aadi Nashikkar want the technology to explore chip architectures beyond conventional engineering methods. Backed by Uncork Capital, Moxxie and investors including Jeff Dean, the startup plans to build a system that tests designs using physical feedback and improves them before manufacturing.
Reddit stock plunges 30% as Google's AI search threatens traffic and user growth
Reddit shares plunged 23% after the company warned that Google's AI powered search features were hurting referral traffic and could lead to a decline in daily active users. Pinterest also fell after issuing a weaker revenue outlook, as pressure on European cross border sellers weighed on its business and growth expectations.
See data centres less as energy-sucking private warehouses, and more as quasi-public utilities
We need data centres. They run far more than ChatGPT. Search, banking, streaming, social networks, cloud software, government services, hospitals and almost every company's digital operations depend on them. AI simply raises the requirement dramatically. Google says its Vizag hub will provide new subsea connectivity for India. IEA says electricity use by AI-focused data centres jumped 50% in 2025. A country without serious compute infrastructure risks becoming a consumer, rather than a producer, of the AI revolution.
Executive search defies broader job market uncertainty
India's executive search firms are reporting strong growth despite layoffs, AI-driven disruptions and global economic uncertainty. Leading firms have recorded business growth of 15-25% in the first half of the financial year, driven by demand for senior leaders across manufacturing, infrastructure, power, energy and global capability centres (GCCs). Companies are investing in experienced executives who can manage large projects, navigate technological change and improve business performance.
Google went to Finland for its AI expansion. Now a cleared forest and a police probe threaten to overshadow its $15 billion investment
Google's planned expansion in Finland is facing scrutiny due to alleged environmental violations at a data centre site. Authorities are investigating whether the company breached local laws related to water management. The controversy has drawn public criticism and highlighted the need for responsible corporate practices. As investment in artificial intelligence increases, balancing economic growth and environmental protection remains challenging.
Alphabet’s AI risks deepen as filing reveals $98 billion in commitments beyond the $1 trillion spending
In a recent regulatory disclosure, Alphabet reveals financial risks linked to its massive AI investments that surpass $1 trillion. The firm might be burdened with nearly $98.5 billion in contingent commitments, including data center leases and chip system repurchases. There are growing apprehensions about the sustainability of Google Cloud's expansion due to a substantial backlog from its collaboration with Blackstone.
US stocks today: Nasdaq slides over 1% as Alphabet's AI spending revives investor concerns
The Nasdaq Composite dropped over 1% as Alphabet reported disappointing advertising results. The downturn was worsened by software stocks, which fell following Fortinet and ServiceNow's unfavorable quarterly performances. Rising AI spending concerns and inflation data also impacted investor sentiment. On a brighter note, Eli Lilly's shares surged due to strong revenue forecasts, while Caterpillar faced declines as it kept its annual sales forecast steady.
Google shares crash 13% after $9 billion cash burn sparks AI spending fears
Alphabet shares crashed 13% as third-quarter earnings missed expectations due to heavy AI spending and slowing search ad growth. Net profit fell 25% to $26.17 billion despite a 25% revenue jump to $127.58 billion. Negative free cash flow of $9.1 billion and surging capital expenditure raised market concerns.
Microsoft, Oracle outshine Alphabet as investors demand AI returns
Wall Street increasingly favours technology companies demonstrating financial discipline in AI investments. Microsoft and Oracle gained on strong cash flow prospects, while Alphabet shares plunged amid rising capital expenditure and slower search growth. Investors are prioritising sustainable returns, profitability and cash generation over aggressive artificial intelligence infrastructure expansion.
Shares in Google owner Alphabet sink on profit miss, ad slowdown
Alphabet has witnessed a notable decline in its net profit and advertising revenue for the third quarter, specifically from July to September. The net profit dropped 25 percent to $26.2 billion, which fell short of analyst predictions. While YouTube's revenue growth has decelerated, Google Cloud's revenue impressive surged by 103 percent. The company reports substantial capital expenditures at $51.
Aravind Srinivas looked up to Google CEO Sundar Pichai before building Perplexity AI; how an unexpected detail stayed with him
Aravind Srinivas co-founded Perplexity AI in 2022 with Andy Konwinski, Denis Yarats and Johnny Ho. They initially experimented with tools that allowed users to search Twitter data through natural-language questions. They later shifted towards general web search. Perplexity was launched in 2022 and its search engine used AI to generate direct answers with citations and links to sources.
Before Perplexity, Aravind Srinivas built a Twitter search tool that changed his startup's direction
Aravind Srinivas and his co-founders experimented with a Twitter search tool before focusing on Perplexity's web search product. An unexpected response to a feature that summarised social media profiles helped shape their next move, eventually leading to a broader mission centred on knowledge and curiosity.
Big Tech earnings a test of the AI boom amid market turmoil
Investors are pressing for evidence that the AI boom can deliver swift returns to justify its enormous price tag. Rising bond yields at AI cloud providers such as CoreWeave and record costs to insure Meta Platform's debt have amplified concerns about how the massive AI infrastructure buildout is being funded, particularly as higher US interest rates loom.
AI is changing online ads, and brands have a new fight on their hands: Report
As consumers increasingly use AI for product discovery and comparisons, brands must adjust their advertising strategies. Research shows that many users still conduct further research after receiving AI recommendations from standalone apps. Advertising platforms are introducing new tools to engage consumers within existing searches and social media.
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