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Meta and YouTube Approve Ads for Alex Gibney’s ‘Musk’ Documentary After Initial Rejections

/ Media Entertainment & Art Community

Meta and YouTube have reversed earlier decisions and said they will allow paid advertising for director Alex Gibney’s upcoming documentary Musk, after reports that several major social media platforms had initially rejected promotional ads for the film’s trailer. The Hollywood Reporter had reported that TikTok, Meta, YouTube and X had declined to run advertisements promoting the documentary. The platforms reportedly cited restrictions surrounding political content. Meta later said the rejection was the result of an error. A company spokesperson told TechCrunch that “the ads are being restored,” although Meta has not provided further details about how the mistake occurred. YouTube also clarified its position, saying the Musk trailer has remained available on its platform. The company said the trailer’s advertising submission had been temporarily restricted by its automated systems but was subsequently reviewed and cleared to run. The initial decisions drew attention because the documentary focuses on Elon Musk, his technology career, political activities and relationship with US President Donald Trump. Platforms including TikTok maintain strict restrictions on political advertising, while Meta has also introduced additional limitations on political advertising in certain markets. X, which is owned by Musk, has not indicated any change to its reported rejection of the advertisement. Musk has previously made critical remarks about Gibney and the documentary. Directed by Gibney, known for documentaries including Going Clear and The Inventor, Musk explores the billionaire entrepreneur’s professional and personal life. The nearly four-hour film features interviews with people connected to Musk, including his former wife Justine Musk and former right-wing influencer Ashley St. Clair. The documentary premiered at the Venice International Film Festival earlier this month and has received strong early reviews from critics. It is scheduled for a US theatrical release on October 9. The film has also faced uncertainty surrounding its international distribution. Reports had suggested that Universal Pictures was reconsidering aspects of its international release plans, although the studio has subsequently confirmed that it intends to release the documentary in theatres. TikTok, X and the film’s US distributor Bleecker Street have been approached for comment on the advertising dispute. Source: Techcrunch

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AI Still Costs More Than Human Workers, Says Nvidia Executive Bryan Catanzaro

/ Human Resource Community

Artificial intelligence may be advancing rapidly, but it is not yet the cheaper alternative to human labour, according to Bryan Catanzaro, a senior executive at Nvidia. He believes companies expecting immediate savings by replacing employees with AI may be misunderstanding the current economics of the technology. Speaking in an interview with Axios, Catanzaro said that for his own team, computing costs significantly exceed staff expenses. His comments challenge the growing belief that layoffs combined with AI adoption automatically improve profitability. The remarks come as major tech firms such as Meta and Microsoft continue reducing headcount while simultaneously pouring billions into AI infrastructure. Meta has reportedly planned workforce cuts of around 10%, impacting nearly 8,000 employees, while also freezing or removing thousands of open positions. Microsoft has also introduced one of its largest voluntary buyout programs in recent years. At the same time, spending on AI is accelerating. According to Morgan Stanley estimates, major technology companies have already invested $740 billion in capital expenditure in 2026, representing a sharp increase from the previous year. Meanwhile, more than 92,000 layoffs have been recorded across the tech sector so far this year. Studies suggest AI still lacks economic efficiency in many job categories. A 2024 study from Massachusetts Institute of Technology found AI automation made financial sense in only 23% of visual-task jobs, while human workers remained the lower-cost option in the majority of cases. Experts say one of the biggest barriers is the high cost of computing power, data centres, and energy required to run large AI systems. Keith Lee of the Swiss Institute of Artificial Intelligence described the situation as temporary, predicting costs may fall sharply over the next few years as hardware and model efficiency improve. However, affordability alone may not be enough. Analysts note that AI systems must also become more reliable, accurate, and easier to integrate into everyday business operations before they can truly replace human workers at scale. For now, Catanzaro’s message is straightforward: replacing people with AI does not automatically mean lower costs, as human labour often remains the more practical and economical choice. Source: Economic Times

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Microsoft to Mandate Office Attendance 3 Days a Week Starting 2026

/ Human Resource Community

Microsoft is preparing to roll out a new return-to-office (RTO) policy that will require employees to spend at least three days a week in the office beginning January 2026. The mandate applies to staff living within 50 miles of its Redmond, Washington, headquarters, home to the bulk of its 228,000-strong global workforce. Depending on team structures and leadership decisions, some groups may face even stricter requirements—four or five days in person each week, according to Business Insider. The company is expected to formally announce the changes in September 2025, giving employees a few months to prepare. While Microsoft will allow applications for exceptions, the criteria and approval process remain unclear. This shift marks a departure from the company’s pandemic-era hybrid model, where employees could work remotely for up to half their time without managerial approval. In practice, many had been working from home far more frequently. The move aligns Microsoft with other tech majors that have rolled back remote flexibility. Amazon now demands five full days in the office, while Google and Meta enforce three. The timing, however, has sparked criticism: morale at Microsoft is reportedly at historic lows after about 15,000 layoffs this year, despite the company posting a staggering $27 billion in quarterly profits, as noted by The Verge. Some employees and analysts view the policy as a “stealth layoff strategy”—designed to push workers to resign voluntarily rather than undergo formal job cuts. Those unwilling to adjust to the new attendance rules may opt to leave, sources told Business Insider. Adding to the controversy, Microsoft continues to market its remote collaboration tools like Teams and Office 365 as productivity boosters, even as it moves away from flexible work for its own staff. Practical hurdles also loom large. Reports suggest the company’s offices face space shortages, limited power supply, and insufficient meeting rooms, despite a $5 billion campus expansion project. For now, the new mandate highlights the growing tension between employee preferences for hybrid work and tech giants’ renewed push for office-centric culture. Source: Economic Times Photo Credit: iStock  

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Meta Launches New AI Superintelligence Lab, Brings in Top Talent

/ Human Resource Community

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has unveiled a major transformation in the company’s artificial intelligence strategy by introducing a newly formed division focused on building AI systems with superhuman capabilities. The initiative, titled Meta Superintelligence Labs, will spearhead efforts to create AI that can match or surpass human performance in various tasks. At the helm of this ambitious endeavor is Alexandr Wang, co-founder of data-labeling firm Scale AI, who joins Meta as the Chief AI Officer. Zuckerberg, in an internal message to employees on Monday, praised Wang as “the most impressive founder of his generation.” Wang will be joined by Nat Friedman, former GitHub CEO, who will co-lead the lab and guide Meta’s work in applied AI research and product development. Zuckerberg emphasized that AI has become the company’s highest priority this year. “The development of superintelligent AI is no longer a distant concept—it’s within reach,” he wrote. “This marks the dawn of a new era, and I am determined to ensure Meta leads this transformation.” The new direction comes amid an intense race between major tech giants—including OpenAI and Google—to dominate the frontier of AI innovation. Meta has ramped up investments in cutting-edge infrastructure like chips and data centers and has also aggressively recruited top-tier AI talent. A major milestone in this strategy was Meta’s recent $14.3 billion investment in Scale AI, which also brought Wang into the fold. The company is also in discussions to acquire AI startups such as Perplexity AI, Runway AI, and PlayAI, the latter known for using AI to replicate human voices. To further strengthen its superintelligence efforts, Meta has onboarded 11 elite AI researchers from companies including OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind. Among the new hires are Jack Rae and Pei Sun from DeepMind, former OpenAI experts Jiahui Yu, Shuchao Bi, Shengjia Zhao, and Hongyu Ren, as well as Anthropic’s Joel Pobar—who previously spent over a decade at Meta. With these moves, Meta is positioning itself to be a dominant force in the next wave of AI evolution. Source: Bloomberg

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Australia Plans Charges for Big Tech Over Unpaid News Content

/ Media Entertainment & Art Community

Australia’s government announced plans on Thursday to introduce new regulations compelling major tech companies like Meta (Facebook’s parent company) and Google to pay Australian media outlets for news content shared on their platforms. The proposed rules aim to create financial penalties for companies failing to negotiate fair compensation with news publishers, marking another step in Australia’s intensified scrutiny of Big Tech. Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services Stephen Jones outlined the initiative during a press conference. He explained that the regulations would apply to digital platforms generating over $250 million in Australian revenue, targeting significant social media networks and search engines. Platforms that fail to establish voluntary commercial agreements with media outlets may face charges amounting to millions of dollars. “The news bargaining initiative will provide a strong incentive for platforms and media businesses to strike commercial deals,” Jones stated, emphasizing the government’s commitment to fair revenue-sharing practices. Tech companies have criticized the proposed legislation. A Meta spokesperson argued the move disregards platform dynamics, pointing out that most users do not access their platforms for news and that publishers willingly post content to benefit from increased exposure. Similarly, a Google representative warned that the policy could jeopardize existing commercial agreements with news publishers in Australia. Australia’s tough stance on Big Tech is not new. In 2021, it enacted laws requiring platforms to pay for news links, prompting Meta to temporarily block news sharing before reaching deals with several Australian media firms. However, Meta has since scaled back news-related initiatives globally, including plans to discontinue its Facebook news tab in Australia by 2024. Media groups, including Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, have welcomed the government’s latest proposal. News Corp Australia Executive Chairman Michael Miller expressed optimism about building beneficial partnerships with platforms like Meta and TikTok, calling for mutually advantageous relationships between publishers and tech companies.

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Meta Considers $14 Monthly Ad-Free Plan for Facebook and Instagram in EU

/ Human Resource Community

Meta Platforms is reportedly considering a new plan in which users in the European Union may have to pay up to $14 per month to access ad-free versions of Facebook or Instagram. Alternatively, they can opt for personalized ads on the free versions of these platforms. According to sources familiar with the proposal, Meta would charge approximately 10 euros ($10.46) per month for a single Facebook or Instagram account when accessed on a desktop computer, with an additional fee of about 6 euros for each linked account. On mobile devices, the cost for a single account would be around 13 euros due to commissions imposed by Apple’s and Google’s app stores. Earlier this year, Meta received a 390 million euro fine from Ireland’s Data Privacy Commissioner, which restricted its ability to use the “contract” legal basis for delivering ads based on users’ online activities. In response, Meta announced its intention to seek user consent in the EU before allowing businesses to target ads, aiming to comply with evolving regulatory requirements in the region. Now, Meta has informed European regulators of its plans to introduce the ad-free offering, referred to as “subscription no ads” (SNA), in the coming months for European users. A Meta spokesperson stated that the company values “free services supported by personalized ads” but is exploring options to ensure compliance with evolving regulations. As of now, Meta, Ireland’s Data Protection Commission, and the European Commission have not provided comments in response to Reuters’ inquiries. The New York Times initially reported on Meta’s consideration of paid versions of Facebook and Instagram without ads for EU users, although specific pricing details were not disclosed.

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Meta to reduce hiring of engineers by 30%

/ Human Resource Community

Meta Platforms Inc. has opted to hire fewer engineers than it had initially planned since it anticipates a recession. Meta will now hire only around 6,000 new engineers, which is 30% less than the 10,000 new engineers it had originally planned to hire. The company’s hiring plans are being revised as a result of the predicted severity of the recession, according to Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta. Its advertising business has also been impacted by the economic downturn. In May, the Company announced that it would halt hiring for some positions. Given that the war in Ukraine has negatively impacted sales, some positions will remain unfilled as Meta concentrates on getting rid of underperformers. Moreover, according to reports, Zuckerberg said that many of the employees did not deserve to work for the company given their poor performance. Meta will also take steps to limit spending. Since hiring accounted for the largest portion of expenses in the first quarter after recruiting over 5,800 people, Meta is attempting to reduce spending by lowering hiring targets. The organisation hopes to become more lean and, if necessary, ruthless in light of the serious circumstances and limited resources because it has been made clear to the staff that growth is anticipated to be slow.

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