Cut

Meta plans to cut 10% of its workforce in May. Its employees have been surviving a “28-day hell” for weeks

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When last week the news was leaked that Meta was going to lay off 10% of its staff (again), the company had no choice but to make its decision public through a statement before I’m ready for it. The director of human resources, Janella Gale, acknowledged the leak and confirmed what many already feared: around 10% of the workforce will receive their dismissal notice. next May 20. The problem is that no one knows yet which profiles or departments will be fired. As the employees themselves said, this wait is precisely what is hurting them the most. There is a date marked on the calendar, there are figures on the table (about 7,800 positions eliminated plus another 6,000 that will be left uncovered), but there are no names. And in that void, thousands of employees have been trying to work normally for weeks without knowing if they will continue to occupy that table next month. Four weeks in limbo. “Welcome to the 28 days of hell.” This is how a Meta employee summed up the situation in an internal forum, and the expression quickly spread through the company’s internal communication channels. As and as detailed Business Insiderthat same uncertainty is breathed in the publications of the employees in the Blind app, where anguish, black humor and unanswered questions are mixed about what criteria will determine who stays and who leaves. In Blindan employee asked how to find motivation to work during the next few weeks knowing that layoffs are a fact and we can only wait for the names to be given to make them effective. One response summed up the general mood: “I’m getting motivated to do things that I can put on my resume for my next job,” said a Meta employee. In Meta’s own internal forums, others claimed to be focused on demonstrating results quickly, before D-day arrives, in an attempt desperate to avoid dismissal. A state of anxiety that has already lasted since 2022. For many Meta workers, this round of layoffs is not an isolated surprise. Since 2022, the company has gone through several waves of cuts, and that has left its mark on the employees who kept their jobs when thousands (hundreds of thousands, actually) of colleagues were falling into the different rounds of dismissal that Meta has applied since 2022. One employee admitted to feeling more anguish about the possibility of surviving layoffs than about being fired, because those who stay know that they will have to take on a greater workload in an increasingly pressured company. This phenomenon, called survivor syndrome, It is more common than it seems and is fueled by that uncertainty of someone who faces a situation that they know and that they know will get worse, and that perhaps they will fall into the next round of layoffs. In fact, according to some comments in that application, some employees admit to having mentally disconnected from work, and there are even those who are considering maneuvering to be included on the layoff list and thus collect compensation. AI as a background to the cut. Another factor that contributes to undermining the morale of employees who must deal with “their 28-day hell” is that, in reality, these dismissals do not occur because they are doing their job poorly or because of the company’s financial problems, but rather because of a strategic bet that puts the AI as an absolute priority for the company. If there is only one dollar to spend, that dollar will be invested in AI. “We are doing this as part of our continuous effort to manage the company more efficiently and to compensate for the other investments we are making,” said Meta’s human resources manager in her statement. Goal plans to allocate between $115 billion and $135 billion in capital investment this year alone, double the capital that he destined in 2024 to this end, with artificial intelligence as the main destination of money. Mark Zuckerberg has been making it clear for months that AI is the absolute priority of the company, which leaves positions that are not aligned with the development of that technology in an increasingly complicated position. What awaits those who are fired. Meta cuts come at the same time as Microsoft announces early retirements volunteers for the first time in its 51-year history. This new strategy is raising alarm bells about whether AI-powered automation is starting to cause a structural labor crisis in the technology sector. According to the company’s statement, Meta employees who finally receive their dismissal letter on May 20 will receive compensation of 16 weeks of base salary plus two additional weeks for each year worked in the company. “We will also cover the cost of COBRA health insurance for US employees and their families for 18 months. Packages outside the United States will be similar, but will vary by country, as will local deadlines and processes,” states the internal Meta statement signed by Gale. In Xataka | “They blame AI for layoffs they would do anyway”: Sam Altman confirms that AI has been used as an excuse to lay off Image | Unsplash (Mariia Shalabaieva, Arif Riyanto)

Airlines have found in the fuel crisis the best argument to cut your benefits as a passenger

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If you are thinking of traveling by plane in the coming months, you should be alert, since your flight is susceptible to cancellations. It’s not that we want to ruin your plans, far from it, but the truth is that the kerosene shortage generated by the conflict in the middle east has given European airlines a political lever that they are not hesitating to use. Crisis. He blockade of the Strait of Hormuzthrough which a substantial part of the world’s oil and kerosene supply transits, has sent aviation fuel prices soaring. On April 16, the International Energy Agency warned that Europe could have reserves for just six weeks. Just like share Financial Times, airlines such as EasyJet, which has announced larger than expected losses; Lufthansa, which has already canceled more than 20,000 flights; or Virgin Atlantic, which has acknowledged to the media that it will be difficult for them to close the year positively, are examples of what monster we are facing. What they are asking for the airlines. The sector has activated an offensive against Brussels and London. And according to they point From the FT, sector associations are pushing to delay or eliminate a long list of measures that they have been fighting for years: from the rule that would allow passengers to carry a second piece of hand luggage for free to changes in the compensation policy for canceled flights and modifications in airport slots (the time slots that airlines adhere to when operating flights). ANDl hand luggage. The European Parliament is studying whether passengers should have the right to take on board, at no additional cost, a second larger piece of luggage in addition to the usual handbag. For airlines like Iberia or British Airways this does not represent any change, because they already allow it. But for low-cost companies, which have built their business model precisely on charging for that additional luggage, it is something that directly affects their profitability. Disadvantage. Just like share FT, the airlines’ position is that these regulations already put them at a disadvantage compared to competitors from other regions of the world, and that a crisis like the current one aggravates that imbalance. “I have not started a war in Iran. Why do I have to accept its consequences?” counted Wizz Air CEO József Váradi, in the middle. Their argument is that governments should exempt airlines from paying compensation when a fuel supply problem prevents them from operating. What they have already achieved. Some requests have already begun to find answers. The UK Government has announced which will allow airlines to request an exemption from the ‘use it or lose it’ rule (which forces them to use airport slots or lose them) if fuel shortages prevent them from flying. In Brussels, the Commissioner for Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, has promised “temporary changes in legislation” if the situation worsens, and included in that list slot rules, anti-tank rules (which prevent airlines from filling tanks with cheaper fuel before entering the region) and passenger rights. However, Tzitzikostas also noted that he has no intention of telling people to travel less: “There is no need to intervene in how people live, work or travel.” The “temporary” trap. The key word in all European concessions is ‘temporary’. Regulators are aware that these measures, once in place, are difficult to reverse, and the sector knows it. The precedent of slots during the pandemic (when the rule was suspended and it took years for airlines to return to normal in terms of regulation) still resonates in the offices of Brussels. Cover image | Suhyeon Choi In Xataka | Commercial aviation is based on very old aircraft. The Iran war is going to make it even worse

95% of intercontinental internet traffic goes through submarine cables. China has just proven that it can cut them at 3,500 meters

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The world is connected through the “invisible”, almost omnipresent and seemingly omnipotent internet. But it turns out that 95% of data traffic runs through cables that, although not visible, are very tangible: the submarine fiber optic cables that run around the world. This strategic infrastructure is inherently vulnerable due to its vast extent in unmonitored environments. Until recently, threats were limited to random accidents in shallow waters, but sabotage are the order of the day. In this scenario, China has just marked a technical milestone that is a warning to sailors: has tried successfully a submarine cable cutter who plays in another league. Thus, it is capable of cutting with high precision and operating at depths of up to 3,500 meters. The tool. The system that China through its Haiyang Dizhi 2 scientific vessel is an electro-hydrostatic actuator (EHA), a compact device that integrates the hydraulic system, the electric motor and the control unit in a single piece, a combo that as explained The South China Morning Post allows you to get rid of the external oil pipe common in this type of system. The Ministry of Natural Resources of China explains for the Chinese media that last Saturday, April 15, its first mission in deep waters was carried out. This is not the first deep underwater cable cutter we have seen from China, in fact it has them to cut even deeper seabeds: the China Naval Scientific Research Center (CSSRC) and the State Key Laboratory of Deep Sea Manned Vehicles also developed a little over a year ago a vessel that uses a diamond coated grinding wheelcapable of operating at depths of 4,000 meters. Why is it important. We have already glimpsed in the intro that currently, practically the entire of intercontinental data traffic travels over submarine cables. He Center for Strategic and International Studies gives an example of its importance: in the financial environment, approximately 22 trillion dollars move per business day through these systems. Any disruption can unleash chaos on entire countries, leading to digital isolation, collapsing financial systems, degrading military capabilities… much more than a simple cyberattack. Underwater cables are inherently vulnerable due to their exposure and with these types of systems not even depth is a guarantee. Furthermore, repair at a depth of 3,500 meters is slow and expensive, requiring specific vessels that are not plentiful. context. Since 2024, China and its vessels have become common suspects in cases of alleged sabotage. Two examples: is in the Baltic and is in waters near Taiwan. These events have generated growing concern in NATO on the security of these essential undersea cables from hybrid warfare tactics. China, for its part, justifies this development as part of its scientific research and deep-sea mining program through the Chinese Academy of Sciences: the ability to cut cables is necessary for the recovery of stuck equipment, cleaning marine debris, and preparing the seabed for deep-sea mining. However, it is inevitable to think about the duality of its functions. chow they do it. In 2020, a team of engineers from Lishui University, in the coastal province of Zhejiang, opposite Taiwan, developed a device for cutting underwater cables by drag (one of several patents in recent years made in China) and in the patent application The team said that “The traditional cutting method requires first detecting the position of the cables, then excavating and recovering them to cut them. The process is complex, a lot of expensive equipment is needed, and the cost is too high. A fast and low-cost cutting device for submarine cables is needed to perform this task.” These new tools seek to solve this as they operate directly on the cable on the seabed without the need for extraction. In the 30-day mission of the Haiyang Dizhi 2 vessel, in addition to testing the cutting tool, they also tested an autonomous underwater vehicle called Hai Ma, recovered 16 self-developed measurement probes and deployed China’s first deep-sea winch with 11,000 meters of coaxial cable. Yes, but. The fact that there are patents and tests on tools to cut marine cables at great depth and efficiency does not mean that they have been used in these incidents, although it does indicate an interest in cutting them. China has a known official position, as we saw last year when a similar tool came to the fore. At that time Liu Pengyu, declared that the device is used in marine scientific research and that both the United States and several European countries have similar technology. Likewise, it highlighted the importance that China gives to protecting underwater infrastructure and its commitment to the international community to protect them. In Xataka | The submarine cables belonged to the teleoperators, and now the big technology companies are controlling them In Xataka | The first great Atlantic submarine cable that connected us to the internet says goodbye for a simple reason: it was too expensive to repair it Cover | seatools and CCTV

Vueling and Wizz Air cut ground in El Prat

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The pulse between Ryanair and Aena due to the increase in airport taxes has made the airline withdraw millions of places in a good part of the regional airports of Spain. This summer too movement is coming In this regard, a maneuver that Ryanair is using to put pressure on the airport operator. This conflict It is going really well for the competition of the Irish airline. The last one was at El Prat airport, Barcelona, ​​where the reduction of seats by Ryanair is leaving room for other airlines to take over. Why is this happening? Ryanair has been engaged in an open battle with Aena for months over the price of the taxes that airlines pay to operate at Spanish airports. As a measure of pressure, Michael O’Leary’s company has been cutting flights and routes at different airports in the country. El Prat is no exception, and just as they count Since Expansión, in the first quarter of 2026 Ryanair transported 5% fewer passengers than in the same period of the previous year, remaining below two million travelers. Its market share fell to 15.9%, almost one and a half points less than in 2025. Who wins with it. The big beneficiaries are Vueling and Wizz Air. The low-cost of the IAG group touched five million passengers between January and March, 3.9% more than a year before, consolidating a market share that already exceeds 40%. On the other hand, Wizz Air increased its traffic by 25.7% to close to 766,000 travelers, taking advantage of both the void left by Ryanair and its own expansion on routes to Central Europe and now also to London. Ambition. In January, Vueling presented a strategic plan that contemplates investments of 5,000 million euros to reach 60 million annual passengers, double its current volume. Half of this growth, according to the company, will be generated precisely in Barcelona. Wizz Air also intends to continue pushing, as it has already announced a 32% increase in its seat offer for this year’s high season in El Prat. The airport. El Prat has been operating at the limit of its capacity for years. Just like they count According to El Economista, in 2025 it exceeded its theoretical ceiling of 55 million by more than two million passengers. Lluís Sala, vice president of the College of Aeronautical Engineers in Catalonia, explained that “it is normal for the map to not be modified when the infrastructure is at maximum capacity.” With such a congested airport, any step back by one airline is an immediate opportunity for the rest. There are agreed expansion works (3,000 million euros agreed in June 2025 between the Generalitat, the Government and Aena), but for the moment growth is achieved by squeezing the time slots with less demand. And now what. The question is whether Ryanair’s withdrawal is temporary or if it will go further. For now, the dispute with Aena has no signs of being resolved soon. Meanwhile, El Prat as a whole continues to grow, with 4% more traffic in the first quarter, and is heading for a new annual record. In Xataka | The airlines had been warning for weeks and the consequences are already here: Volotea will charge 14 euros more for the Hormuz crisis

The Fascinating Mathematics Behind How to Cut It Perfectly in One Slice

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Imagine having a sandwich in front of you with two slices of bread and in the middle a slice of ham, which you want to cut with a single straight cut with a knife, so that the top bread, the bottom bread and the ham are divided exactly in half. This is something that makes us wonder: would it always be possible no matter how the ingredients are arranged? And this, which for our intuition has a relatively simple answer, for mathematicians has been the basis for creating the ‘ham sandwich theorem‘. His story. Although the name sounds like a university hallway joke, we are dealing with a very serious classical mathematical theorem. For trace its originwe must travel to 1938, where there is the first known evidence of this problem and which appeared in a note by the Polish mathematician Hugo Steinhaus in the magazine Mathesis Polska. The difference is that at that time slices of bread were not used, but rather he simultaneously bisected meat, bone and fat from a ham with a single flat cut. Although it must be detailed that Steinhaus proposed his conjecture, but it was the mathematician Stefan Banach who managed to prove it, making it exist for a long time. many doubts about who had the attribution of this theorem. How it was demonstrated. To see that the perfect cut really exists, the mathematician had to resort to topology and reduce the problem to the so-called Borsuk-Ulam theorem. Without going into the formulas for this, Banach’s proof uses the unit sphere. To give us an idea, if we consider all the possible directions in which we can point our knife on the sandwich, we can define a continuous mathematical function that evaluates what volume fraction of each ingredient remains on the “positive side” of the knife. Here the Borsuk-Ulam theorem guarantees us that, in any three-dimensional sphere, there are always two opposite points that will have the same result. In summary. In practical terms, this means that mathematics assures us that there will always be an exact angle and position for the knife that will balance the volumes of bread, ham and cheese in an exact 50% ratio. What is it for? Beyond the anecdotal aspect of seeing how a sandwich stars in a mathematical theorem, it is important to highlight that it has applications in geometry and computer science to create complete algorithms to be able to process a large amount of data. Today, this problem is a classic in mathematics teaching. Dissemination platforms in Spanish, such as the well-known blog Gaussians or the channel Smyth Academyit they use usually to explain advanced topological concepts in an intuitive way, and all ultimately due to this concept that we have all done at some point in the kitchen. Images | Suea Sivilaisith In Xataka | This ranking shows which scientists have saved the most lives with their discoveries

How to create a paper cut illustration from your photos with artificial intelligence, using ChatGPT or Gemini

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Let’s tell you how to create a paper cut illustration from your photos using artificial intelligence. We are going to tell you a prompt that you will be able to use in both ChatGPT and Gemini, although the result can vary greatly depending on which of them you use. Therefore, we will start by telling you the prompt that you should copy and paste, which is quite long and detailed. And then we will tell you the differences between using Gemini and ChatGPT to do this, because they are very notable differences. Illustration of paper cut from your photos To make this composition, you simply have to add a photo and paste the text to the prompt What are you going to introduce to artificial intelligence? Then, the AI ​​will analyze the content of the photo and generate the result. This is the textual prompt that you must add: “Turn this image (attached) into a soft illustration style by layering handmade cut-out paper, inspired by the aesthetics of papercraft dioramas. Use soft, rounded shapes, adorable, simplified character proportions, and minimal facial details (point eyes, rosy cheeks) to create a warm, charming look. Apply stacked layers of paper with visible depth, subtle shadows between layers, and clean cut edges reminiscent of laser-cut cardboard. Add a distinctive white outer layer surrounding each main character, similar to a thick sticker border or a cut-out white paper backing, clearly separating the characters from the background. This white layer should look like an intentional paper layer, not a glow or halo. Use a pastel color palette with muted blues, greens and warm neutrals, balanced and calming. Lighting should feel soft, diffuse and uniform, enhancing dimensional paper layers without harsh contrasts. Textures should appear matte and tactile, like thick art paper or EVA foam. Overall mood: Cozy, endearing, delicate and story-like, with a playful yet polished handcrafted look, suitable for modern illustration, children’s books or decorative art.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Then, you only have to wait a few seconds and you will get the result. This will vary very noticeably depending on the AI ​​model you are going to use. As you can see, it is a very VERY long prompt, but since we have translated it into Spanish you will be able to read it, review it and even make changes. Differences between Gemini and ChatGPT results Gemini does the paper cut style best. Gemini does the cut paper style better when creating the resulting image from your photos. The result is very beautiful, smooth and with very schematic images. However, does not capture characteristic features very welland in the case of animals it can even change the color of their hair. ChatGPT captures details much better ChatGPT captures colors and details betterthe characters that appear in the images are much more recognizable. However, the cut-out paper is not made in layers like in Gemini, the style is much less artistic, and looks more like stickers overlaid on a background. Therefore, there are no perfect results, and it will be up to you to do tests and see what you prefer, whether realism or more of an effect of overlapping cut-out papers. Taking into account that each AI offers results with its own personality, you will have no problems choosing one or the other depending on the photo and the result you want. In Xataka Basics | How to create an image of yourself and a Pixar character with your face using artificial intelligence, with Gemini or ChatGPT

Trump threatens to “cut off all trade”

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The decision of the Spanish Government not to authorize the Rota and Morón bases to be used in the United States military offensive against Iran has opened a diplomatic front that goes far beyond the military level. The reaction from Washington was immediate. US President Donald Trump He stated this Tuesday that he wants “cut off all trade with Spain.” The disagreement, therefore, no longer revolves solely around the use of military installations on Spanish soil. It has also moved to the economic and commercial field. threatening tone. In his statements to the media, released by the White Housethe American president charged directly against the Spanish Government. On the one hand, the refusal to allow Spanish bases to be used in the operation against Iran. On the other hand, Spain’s refusal to raise its military spending to 5% of GDP, a goal that Washington has been defending for some time within NATO. “Spain has been terrible,” said the president, before reproaching that Spain was the only ally that did not accept that spending objective. A question of international legality. Before Trump launched his trade threat, the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, assured the media that the US bases in Spanish territory have not provided support to the offensive against Iran and that this situation will not change. “Neither from Morón nor from Rota have they carried out nor will they carry out any maintenance or support action,” stated. Along the same lines, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, insisted that the Executive will not authorize the use of these facilities for operations that do not fit within the Charter of the United Nations. The Convention as a brake. The refusal of the Spanish Government is also supported by the legal framework that has regulated the US military presence in the country for decades. As we explained in a previously published articlethe bilateral agreement signed in 1988 establishes that the use of facilities such as Rota and Morón must be framed in objectives within the bilateral or multilateral scope provided for in the agreement itself. This same framework contemplates that any operation that goes beyond these assumptions requires prior authorization from the Executive. The Spanish Government relies on this point to maintain that a unilateral military offensive against Iran does not fit into the framework provided for by the agreement. Planes that move. While the political debate intensified, some movements had already occurred on the ground. According to Reutersthe United States transferred at least fifteen resupply aircraft that were deployed at the Morón and Rota bases. a dozen of KC-135 They departed from the Sevillian base to the Ramstein air base, in Germany, while another five took off from the Rota naval base with an unconfirmed destination in some cases. These devices are relevant in air campaigns because they allow the operational range of combat aircraft to be extended. The threat and its limits. The warning to cut off trade raises an obvious question: to what extent can Washington apply such a measure against a single European country. In practice, the margin is limited. As a member of the European Union, Spain does not negotiate its trade agreements with the United States bilaterally, since these conversations are channeled through the European Commission. This complicates any attempt to penalize only Spain. The Country pointshowever, to the possibility of resorting to selective taxes on certain categories of products as an instrument of economic pressure. The Spanish Government has also responded. In a statement collected by RTVEMoncloa pointed out that any review of the commercial relationship between both countries must be done “respecting the autonomy of private companies, international legality, and bilateral agreements between the European Union and the United States.” The Executive also defended that Spain is “a key member of NATO” and a reliable trade partner for dozens of countries. What there is. For now, what exists is a political threat that has not yet been translated into concrete measures. The fight between Spain and the States has gone in a very short time from a discussion about the use of military bases to a much broader field that includes trade, diplomacy and international security. However, there are still many unknowns left open. We have to wait to see how this whole situation will evolve. Images | Defense Visual Information Distribution Service | The White House In Xataka | A Gulf country is launching an unprecedented missile against Iran. Nobody knows who he is and wants to remain anonymous

The US has cut programs for research and science. Europe and Spain are recruiting their scientists

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The Trump Administration has cut substantially the funds allocated to finance universities and, with them, the research projects that were being carried out, as as they point out from Nature. So American scientists have had no choice but to look for solutions to the draconian cuts in their country. Europe in general, and Spain in particular, they have become a magnet unexpected for all that talent, with programs that promise stability and million-dollar resources. Talent drain. According to information from the Ministry of Science, the call for the ATRAE program, aimed at incorporating researchers of international prestige with experience abroad in Spanish R&D centers, received 254 applications for the 2025 call. This implies an increase of 32% in applications, marking a historical record, because in 2023 no applications arrived from that country and in 2024 they only accounted for 16% of the total. 33.5% of them came from scientists from the US, which represents more than double that of previous editions. Finally, the scholarship program has selected 37 researchers in a program that allocates 38.9 million euros. Of the selected researchers, 56.7% come from American institutions and universities. Scientists who choose Spain. The Country collected the reasons why some of these researchers had decided to leave the US to continue their work in Spain. Vincenzo Calvanese, a 43-year-old Italian researcher who works at the Josep Carreras Institute in Barcelona after a decade in the United States, says that “many of my colleagues are having a very difficult time because of the political and economic events that affect science.” He encourages other colleagues to follow in his footsteps in Spain or other countries in Europesince the program represents “one of the few opportunities to ensure the future of research and some professional security.” ​Audrey Sawyer, a 43-year-old American hydrogeologist who has joined the research team at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, expresses a similar concern: “I have never seen a situation like this in the US. I feel very bad for the researchers and students, they are very talented and are facing serious challenges.” Although she applied before the most recent cuts, she clearly sees how federal funding affects areas like biomedicine and climate change. Europe: a troubled river gains fishermen. According to a survey made by Nature Among the US scientific community, 75% of researchers have seriously contemplated emigrating due to the cuts and layoffs promoted by Trump. In this scenario of uncertainty, Europe fights back taking out the nets to try to attract a good part of that talent dissatisfied with cuts in US research. The EU has doubled the funding of the European Research Council (ERC) with 500 million euros to provide it with more resources for these new researchers under the umbrella of the program Europe horizon. Spain distributes the incorporation of these new researchers in a balanced way: Catalonia receives 35.1% of the funding provided by these new scholarships, Madrid receives 29.7%, and entities such as the CSIC host 29.7% of the researchers. In this way, local research is reinforced with international talent, new students are trained and more funds are attracted from international competitions. The exodus is not only about science. The desire to leave the US does not only occur in the scientific field, some EU countries have doubled the number of residency applications and citizenship of US citizens. It is the case of Irelandwhich went from receiving 31,825 in all of 2024, to 3,692 applications during the month of February 2025 alone. Europe’s response to those requests has been different, tightening requirements to obtain residency or, as in the case of Spain, eliminating the “Golden Visa“which granted a residence permit in exchange of an economic investment. In Xataka | Of course digital nomads love Oviedo. It’s not because of the way of life: it’s because they charge 90,000 euros Image | Wikipedia, Unsplash (National Cancer Institute)

cut funding to universities

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The United States is obsessed with winning the AI ​​race against China. Crazy investments, blockages to critical technology, nuclear reactors to power the data centers… In the midst of these titanic efforts, the Trump administration decided that it was a good idea to do massive cuts to academic research. Shot in the foot. In an interview with Financial TimesEric Horvitz has harshly criticized the cuts promoted by Trump. Microsoft’s chief scientist argues that this decision will cause talent to emigrate to other countries, such as China, and make them take the lead in science and, above all, in AI. “Personally, I find it difficult to understand the logic of trying to compete with other countries while applying these cuts,” says Horvitz. Cuts. 2025 has been a complicated year for research and science in the United States. Thousands of researchers have been laid off, eliminated science subsidies worth 1 billion, American universities They have eliminated more than 9,000 jobs, They have dismantled the Department of EducationHE They have cut billions in health programsspace research and of course everything related to climate change or diversity policies. Meanwhile in China… China is clear that, to compete in the technological war, it needs engineers and He has been investing in them for more than forty years. Currently it is the country that produces the most STEM graduatesis driving initiatives to train high-ranking engineers and has the university that is publishing the most papers on AI. There is more. In your 15th five-year plan covering 2026 to 2030China makes strengthening the educational system a priority and has another plan underway to become leader in education by 2035. Leadership at stake. Horvitz It defends the model that the United States began after World War II, with the creation of the National Science Foundation, without which the United States would be “decades behind” in the current technological war. He also highlights that there are key advances to reach modern AI, such as reinforcement learningwhich were achieved thanks to public funds. Exodus of talent. In the 80s there was an exodus of Chinese talent to the United States, but currently the situation has turned around. There are more and more Chinese academics returning to their country and there is also American engineers going to China motivated by a talent recruitment campaign. Europe is also being a destination for many researchers who, pushed by cuts, seek opportunities through large EU financing programs. Image | Wikipedia / harvard In Xataka | The United States may win the AI ​​race, but its problem is different: China is winning all the others

Movistar Plus+ was making a comeback after four years of losing customers. Telefónica has decided to cut its workforce

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Telefónica has set 119 final departures in Movistar Plus+part of the ERE that will eliminate 4,554 positions in Spain. It is a reduction compared to the more than 200 losses initially planned, but it comes at the worst moment: when the platform was finally adding clients again. Why is it important. Movistar Plus+ has 3.75 million (the most recent data is from September 30) , the best data since 2018 after years of collapse. It lost almost 650,000 clients between 2019 and 2023, hit rock bottom, and was already beginning to recover. Now Telefónica is cutting muscle just when it needed to step on the accelerator. The paradox. The company bet a lot of money buying Canal+ and launching its own productions to compete with Netflix and Prime Video. When the numbers improve, he reduces the workforce. The inevitable question: how are you going to keep up with global giants with fewer people and a tighter budget? Yes, but. Subscriber growth does not guarantee profitability. Telefónica has reoriented Movistar Plus+ towards a more flexible and cheaper offer, unrelated to convergent packages. That adds customers but compresses margins. And competing in streaming without a global scale is very expensive. The unequal context. Netflix already has more than 300 million subscribers in the world. Prime Video exceeds 200 million. Disney+ around 120 million. Movistar Plus+ has 3.75 million in Spain, at the end of the third quarter of 2025. The difference in scale is brutal and translates directly into budget for content, technology and distribution. What works. Football continues to be the lifeline. LaLiga and the Champions League keep many subscribers hooked who, without that content, perhaps would not have stayed for so long. But a platform cannot be built only on sports rights that also increase in price every cycle, as we saw a few days ago. What deserves more luck. Movistar Plus+’s own series and documentaries have objective quality. ‘Poison‘, ‘The Messiah‘, ‘The Plague‘, ‘riot police‘, ‘The Pioneer‘ either ‘Rapa‘ demonstrate the ability to find powerful stories with local cultural sensitivity. Netflix and Prime also produce Spanish content, but Movistar Plus+ has built its own catalog that transcends obvious trends and connects with the public in another way. The problem is not the quality of the content. Quality is sometimes not enough when you compete against infinite budgets and recommendation algorithms fine-tuned with data from hundreds of millions of users. The big question. What will become of Movistar Plus+ if it continues to contract? It was beginning to regain ground, but doing so with 119 fewer people makes it difficult to maintain the pace. Without the investment capacity to match the Netflix-Amazon-Disney triumvirate, the room for maneuver narrows every quarter. The background. This ERE is not an isolated case. Telefónica has been thinning its workforce for years while it pivots towards infrastructure and gets rid of unprofitable Latin American subsidiaries. Marc Murtra, president for one year, has renovated its entire dome. The 2024 one cost 1,300 million and took 3,421 positions. This new adjustment will be more expensive and deeper. Between the lines. The unions have ended up accepting forced dismissals in minority companies such as Movistar Plus+, despite having set it as an initial red line. The pressure from the workforce to guarantee early retirements in other subsidiaries has weighed more than maintaining positions. UGT and CCOO have appealed to “common sense” and “responsibility”common euphemisms to justify a capitulation. In Xataka | Telefónica is preparing a tough ERE, but for many veterans it will be like a prize Featured image | Xataka with Mockuuups Studio

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