Today in AI | Google AI division layoffs | YT armed with AI | OpenAI's new hire

The world of Artificial Intelligence has only begun to affect human lives. In times like these, staying up-to-date with the AI world is of utmost importance. Storyboard18 brings you the top AI news of the day.

Google contractors face lay-offs as over 200 jobs cut in AI division

More than 200 contract workers supporting Google’s artificial intelligence projects have been laid off, according to a report by Wired. The dismissals were carried out by outsourcing firm GlobalLogic, which manages much of Google’s AI rating work, rather than by Google directly.

The affected contractors had been tasked with training and refining Google’s AI models. Many expressed concern that the very systems they helped build could eventually render their roles obsolete, intensifying the psychological impact of the cuts.

The lay-offs come against a backdrop of ongoing discontent over working conditions. Over the past year, some contractors sought to organise for better pay and greater transparency, while others raised concerns about mounting workload pressures. Strict time limits, they said, forced them to prioritise speed over accuracy. A group even considered forming a union under the Alphabet Workers Union, but those efforts were allegedly discouraged. At least two workers have since lodged complaints with the US National Labour Relations Board, claiming they were dismissed after raising concerns.

As India's viewing habits shift, YouTube arms advertisers with AI and new targeting

At its annual Brandcast event, YouTube positioned itself as a primary contender for the title of "India's new TV," citing significant audience growth across both its short-form and long-form video offerings. The platform is increasingly becoming a central hub for entertainment, with a reported 87% of surveyed Indian viewers being more likely to use YouTube daily than any other online video platform or traditional TV.

The company's claims are backed by new data points, including over 650 million monthly logged-in viewers for YouTube Shorts in India and a connected TV audience that has surpassed 75 million. This convergence of formats—from the bite-sized content of Shorts to long-form content on the big screen—is driving a "YouTube-first" strategy for a growing number of brands, who are looking to navigate a fragmented media landscape.

OpenAI hires Mike Liberatore as Business Finance Officer

American artificial intelligence organization OpenAI has appointed Mike Liberatore as its Business Finance Officer. He most recently served as Chief Financial Officer at xAI, the AI company founded by Elon Musk.

Liberatore began his career in the finance department at Hewlett-Packard, followed by a stint at Intel Corporation. He later joined eBay as Director of Corporate FP&A, and subsequently moved to PayPal, where he served as Finance Executive for the Asia region.

He then took on the role of CFO at SquareTrade, before joining Airbnb as CFO of Airbnb Payments, where he was responsible for accounting for all Airbnb.com revenue and cash flows. During his tenure at Airbnb, he also served as Interim Head of Global Tax, overseeing both direct and indirect tax functions globally, before being promoted to Vice President of Finance and Corporate Development.

IPS officer issues cyber alert amid Google Gemini's Nano Banana AI craze

The viral “Google Gemini Nano Banana AI” trend, which has seen social media flooded with AI-altered celebrity and user images, has prompted warnings from law enforcement about the growing risk of online scams.

Senior IPS officer V.C. Sajjanar issued an advisory on X (formerly Twitter), cautioning citizens against sharing personal photos or data with unverified websites and unauthorised apps that claim to produce Nano Banana-style images. He underlined that while online fads may appear harmless, they can expose unsuspecting users to financial fraud and long-term data misuse.