News

Lucid Motors has announced a 12% workforce reduction in a move to improve operational effectiveness and enhance resource allocation towards profitability. The layoff affects hundreds of employees, with a focus on non-hourly workers in manufacturing, logistics, and quality teams. Despite the cuts, the company is maintaining its strategy and core priorities, including the launch of a more affordable mid-size EV and collaboration with Uber and Nuro on a robotaxi service.

Interim CEO Marc Winterhoff expressed gratitude for the contributions of those impacted by the layoffs, offering severance, bonuses, health benefits, and transition support. Lucid Motors has been expanding production and delivery of its Gravity SUV, doubling its output in 2024. As the company prepares to release its financial results for 2025, it continues to focus on its Midsize platform and growth in sales across various geographies. With ongoing development in ADAS, software, and robotaxi market expansion, Lucid Motors remains committed to its long-term goals despite executive turnover and leadership changes.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed a lawsuit against Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast, alleging sex discrimination for excluding male employees from a company-sponsored networking event attended by 250 women. The lawsuit challenges diversity programming that the EEOC has targeted since President Donald Trump’s overhaul of the agency, and comes in the midst of the EEOC investigating Nike for alleged discrimination against white employees. Coca-Cola Northeast has stated that they look forward to presenting their case in court to be vindicated, while the EEOC seeks monetary compensation for the excluded male employees who suffered financial losses and emotional distress.

Civil rights activists and former Democratic commissioners have criticized EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas for targeting programs such as networking events for specific demographic groups, as they believe these practices help prevent discrimination and eliminate barriers for women and minorities. The EEOC’s lawsuit against the regional Coca-Cola bottler has raised questions about the agency’s priorities and use of limited resources, as discrimination against women in the workplace continues to be a prevalent issue. As the legal battle unfolds, the EEOC has not provided further comments on the lawsuit.

OpenAI has announced partnerships with six public and private higher-education institutions in India, aiming to reach over 100,000 students, faculty, and staff in the next year. This move is part of OpenAI’s strategy to integrate AI into core academic functions and influence how AI is taught and normalized within India’s higher-education system. The initiative focuses on embedding AI into academic workflows such as coding, research, analytics, and case analysis, rather than offering standalone access to tools.

These partnerships involve campus-wide access to OpenAI’s ChatGPT Edu tools, faculty training, and responsible-use frameworks. Additionally, two partner institutions will introduce OpenAI-backed certifications, while ed-tech platforms will launch structured courses on AI fundamentals and ChatGPT use cases. With India being a key testing ground for AI use in education, this expansion by OpenAI aligns with the broader trend of AI companies deepening their presence in the country to build AI skills at scale and shape the future of AI education.

Warner Bros. Discovery has decided to reopen takeover talks with Paramount, despite having a deal in place with Netflix. The company received a waiver from Netflix to discuss Paramount’s latest offer, with both parties trying to resolve unresolved issues and clarify terms. However, Warner’s board still recommends supporting the proposed merger with Netflix, which is set for a vote on March 20.

Paramount, on the other hand, is pushing to acquire Warner’s entire company, including networks like CNN and Discovery, presenting a hostile all-cash offer. As negotiations continue, analysts believe that Paramount may raise its bid, creating a more competitive landscape for Netflix. Both companies are facing antitrust concerns from regulators worldwide, further complicating the merger talks.

The stock market has recently shown signs of punishing software firms and other industries vulnerable to the artificial intelligence boom, but UBS analyst Matthew Mish believes that credit markets may be the next area to face the threat of AI disruption. Mish predicts that tens of billions of dollars in corporate loans are at risk of default in the coming year, especially for software and data services firms owned by private equity.

According to Mish, the arrival of AI disruption is accelerated by new models from companies like Anthropic and OpenAI, catching the market off guard as the technology evolves faster than anticipated. Mish and his colleagues at UBS have updated their forecasts to reflect the potential impact of AI on leveraged loans and private credit, estimating a significant increase in defaults by the end of the year. While Mish acknowledges the uncertainties surrounding AI adoption and its effects on large corporations, he warns of a possible credit crunch and broad repricing of leveraged credit if the AI transition accelerates abruptly.

Something unusual is happening at University of California campuses this fall as computer science enrollment drops for the first time since the dot-com crash. While overall college enrollment is on the rise, traditional CS degrees are being abandoned by students, with UC San Diego being the exception due to its new dedicated AI major. This shift reflects a global trend where Chinese universities are heavily investing in AI education, making fluency with AI a mandatory skill.

In response to the growing demand for AI skills, U.S. universities are scrambling to launch AI-specific programs. However, the transition hasn’t been smooth everywhere, with faculty resistance and mixed reactions from parents. Despite this, enrollment numbers show that students are gravitating towards AI programs, suggesting a migration rather than a tech exodus. As American universities grapple with integrating AI into their curriculum, the urgency to keep pace with the market demand for AI skills is becoming increasingly apparent.

Spirit Airlines has sold 20 Airbus planes and is bringing back 500 flight attendants from furlough as the airline aims to stabilize after its second bankruptcy in less than a year. The sales are part of Spirit’s efforts to focus on its strongest routes and most efficient fleet, with plans to phase out the aircraft starting in April. Despite failed deal talks with investment firm Castlelake and Frontier Airlines, Spirit is determined to find a path forward on its own.

Chief Operating Officer John Bendoraitis stressed the importance of a shared effort in fixing the struggling airline, acknowledging the challenges faced by crews in recent months. The recall of flight attendants is seen as a positive step toward easing operational issues and providing support for a strong operation during the upcoming spring break travel season. With a reduced network and fleet, Spirit is working towards financial recovery with the help of its dedicated team of employees and union support.