Lauren Weinstein
BREAKING: Billionaire Jack Dorsey fires 40% of Block staff to replace them with AI, over 4000 humans being kicked out -- Billionaire Dorsey says he thinks most companies will do the same soon.
Feb 27 at 12:29amWeb
Show threadahoyboyhoyFeb 27
@lauren silicon valley ingenuity, never have I ever seen more innovative thinking
Show threadMy Head’s Exploding 🤯 💥Feb 27
@lauren
Word of the day…
S.A.B.O.T.A.G.E.
Show threadroboticus lastius (not a bot)Feb 27
@lauren
Billionaire Dorsey looks like his life is as hollow as his heart is hard.
Show threadJohn MorrisFeb 27
@lauren Could we instead replace billionaires with AI?
Show threadWayne WernerFeb 27
@jmorris @lauren no, because you don't need AI for that
Show threadsubcormoRant 🏴 Feb 27
@lauren

Hahahaha, how smart, Jack.....

Anyway, solidarity with the workers!
Show threadJoe 📷 🖖🤨Feb 27

@lauren

“we're not making this decision because we're in trouble. our business is strong.”

Show threadBogdan BuduroiuFeb 27
@lauren I mean, having 4000 employees at Block to begin with sounds super dodgy.
Show thread3Jane Tessier AshpoolFeb 27
@lauren I think if I didn’t have to go to work, I’d probably be protesting a lot more. Maybe billionaires and corporations ought to keep that in mind because I doubt I’m alone in that
Show threadstevenrayFeb 27
@lauren at which point unemployment will skyrocket, but… ‘have you seen what the stock market is doing? So awesome.’
Show threadAnthony DavidFeb 27

@lauren

Good Luck to that. Jack and his bros can stew in their consumer-free "utopia".

No. 1 rule this time: No Corporate Bailouts. No Exceptions.

Show threadNicole ParsonsFeb 27

@lauren

Dawsey might have trouble achieving his anti-human agenda.

1. Permits for data centers are being canceled
2. Utilities are getting a lot of public pushback about the double digit rate increases
3. Fuel supply for diesel delivery for generators face delays
4. No one wants to pay money for something with a 45% error rate

There are innumerable ways to thwart AI.

Show threadJackMexFeb 27

@lauren

We need a new economy without those people.

Show threadOliver SchafeldFeb 27

Block's stock is down 70% from 2021.

I.e. even *after* it rose 24% following news of mass layoffs.

»Critics note tech peers (e.g., Meta) have used similar "AI" framing for overhiring fixes.«

https://www.perplexity.ai/search/block-s-stock-market-valuation-7FFzjij7QHqUbcbppjQrCw

Show threadShadSterlingFeb 27

@lauren TIL that Square has rebranded as Block.

I guess in another decade or so they’ll rebrand as Hypercube

Show threadLauren WeinsteinFeb 27
@ShadSterling And he may be on the verge of buying PayPal, I hear.
Show threadzbrownFeb 27

@ShadSterling @lauren nah they'll rebrand as NFT

(Yes, they mean *that* Block)

Show threadShadSterlingFeb 27
@zbrown @lauren whelp. I guess that is on-brand for techbro, but it’s disappointing for Square
Show threadPete Alex Harris🦡🕸️🌲/∞🪐∫Feb 27
@lauren
Billionaires may think a lot of things, but they don't have the ability to think things through like a normal person who can expect consequences for bad decisions.
Show threadCeceliaMar 2
@lauren I thought this read “40% of Black staff” and you know, it sounded believable.