Just when you think things couldn't possibly get any crazier… they do. The world feels like it’s speeding toward something inevitable, and the doomsday clock is ticking, which apparently is a literal thing. From AI breakthroughs to corporate hypocrisy and government control, this week's update touches on some stories that might have you questioning everything.

However, hopefully, by the end, you feel a little bit better about navigating it. With that, let's get to it.

DeepSeek-R1 - DeepSeek-R1 is making a lot of waves. It's being heralded for breaking every rule in AI development, but there seems to be more than meets the eye. They also seem to have sparked a fight with OpenAI, which feels a bit hypocritical. While many are focused on whether China is beating the US, a bigger highlight is how wildly underestimating how quickly AI is evolving.

Doomsday Clock Nears 12 - Since the deployment of nuclear bombs, a group of scientists have been quietly managing a literal doomsday clock. While the specifics of the measures aren't terribly clear, it's a prophetic window looking at how long before we destroy ourselves. While we could debate the legitimacy or accuracy of all the questions, it's clear we're closer to the theoretical end than ever before, but are we even listening?

JP Morgan’s Hypocrisy - It was bad enough when JP Morgan was mandating everyone back to the office for vague and undefinable reasons while simultaneously shedding employees like a corporate game of "The Biggest Loser." However, they managed to sink to a new low this year as the company hit record profits and celebrated by awarding its top exec while tossing crumbs to the people who actually did the work. It seems to be a portrait of everything wrong in the current world of work.

Federal RTO Gets Expensive - Arbitrarily forcing everyone back into the office was bad enough, especially since they didn't have enough room for them to sit. However, the silliness of it all seems to have kicked into overdrive now that they're offering to pay people to quit instead. While they suspect only a few will accept their generous 8-month severance offer, I'm interested to see how many millions of our tax dollars are spent on this exercise of nonsense.

Show Notes:

In this Weekly Update, Christopher discusses the latest news and trends at the intersection of business, technology, and human experience. Topics include the rise of China's DeepSeek R1 and its implications, the recent changes to the Doomsday Clock, JPMorgan's record-breaking financial year amid controversial lay-offs and pay raises, and the U.S. federal government's new mandate for employees to return to the office. Christopher also explores the broader ethical considerations and potential impacts of these developments on society and the workforce.

00:00 - Introduction

01:43 - DeepSeek: The New AI Contender

16:37 - The Doomsday Clock: A Historical Perspective

28:26 - JP Morgan's Controversial Moves

37:54 - Federal Government's Return-to-Office Mandate

46:53 - Final Thoughts and Reflections

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