This week, we start by talking about the new wave of tech layoffs at Atlassian and Block, as well as reports that Meta plans to cut up to 20 percent of its work force. This raises the question of whether A.I. job loss has truly begun, or if there are other factors at play. Then, we’re joined by the writer Jasmine Sun to talk about why chatbots are still so bad at creative writing. And finally, it’s tokenmaxxing time! Kevin takes us behind the scenes of his latest reporting about why tech companies are building leaderboards to measure who is using the most A.I.
 
Guest:
<ul>
 <li>Jasmine Sun, journalist and writer at<a href="https://jasmi.news" rel="noopener noreferrer"> jasmi.news</a></li>
</ul>
 
Additional Reading:
<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/04/opinion/block-jack-dorsey-layoffs-ai.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">I Worked for Block. Its A.I. Job Cuts Aren’t What They Seem.</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/meta-planning-sweeping-layoffs-ai-costs-mount-2026-03-14/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meta Planning Sweeping Layoffs as A.I. Costs Mount</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/12/technology/meta-avocado-ai-model-delayed.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meta Delays Rollout of New A.I. Model After Performance Concerns</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2026-03-13/the-ai-washing-of-job-cuts-is-corrosive-and-confusing" rel="noopener noreferrer">The A.I.-Washing of Job Cuts Is Corrosive and Confusing</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/2026/03/ai-creative-writing/686418/" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Human Skill That Eludes A.I.</a></li>
</ul>
 
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