Lots has happened this past week in the tech world! With Google donating to Trump’s inauguration fund, Microsoft cutting jobs across departments based on performance, and more, there’s much to catch up on. So, let’s get started!
Google Donates to Trump’s Inauguration Fund
Google has donated $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration fund, joining other major tech companies in seeking to build goodwill with the incoming administration.
“Google is pleased to support the 2025 inauguration through a live stream on YouTube and a direct link on our homepage. We’re also making a contribution to the inaugural committee,” said Karan Bhatia, Google’s global head of government affairs and public policy, in a statement to CNBC.
The donation was made on Monday. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Meta both pledged $1 million to the inaugural fund late last year, and Amazon and Apple CEO Tim Cook have also reportedly made contributions.
Microsoft Cuts Jobs Across Departments
Microsoft is reducing a small number of jobs across various departments due to performance issues, the company confirmed on Wednesday.
“At Microsoft, we prioritize high-performance talent,” a Microsoft spokesperson said in an email. “We are constantly focused on helping people learn and grow. When performance falls short, we take the necessary steps.”
The job cuts will impact fewer than 1% of tech employees, according to a source familiar with the matter who requested anonymity to discuss confidential information.
Shares of eBay Soar 9%
eBay’s shares rose by 9% on Wednesday after Meta announced it would allow some listings to appear on Facebook Marketplace, its popular platform for connecting consumers for local item exchanges and more.
eBay’s stock reached its highest point since November 2021.
The initiative will begin with a test in Germany, France, and the United States, where buyers can view listings directly on Marketplace and finalize their transactions on eBay, Meta stated in a release.
Meta employees expressed their criticism on the company’s internal forum Tuesday regarding the decision to end third-party fact-checking on its platforms just two weeks before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
The concerns were raised after Joel Kaplan, Meta’s new chief global affairs officer and former White House deputy chief of staff under President George W. Bush, announced the tech policy changes on Workplace, the company’s internal communications tool.
Nvidia Releases New Gaming Chips
Nvidia introduced new chips for desktop and laptop PCs on Monday, featuring the same Blackwell architecture that powers the company’s fastest artificial intelligence processors for servers and data centers.
The chips, named GeForce RTX 50-series, will be preinstalled in computers priced between $550 and $2,000, the company announced. Laptops equipped with these chips are set to begin shipping in March.
Nvidia showcased the tech processors at CES in Las Vegas, where CEO Jensen Huang delivered a keynote address on Monday.
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