Amazon layoffs, Microsoft's stake in OpenAI & more (October 28, 2025)

Good morning,

From AI-driven layoffs reshaping big tech to OpenAI’s deepening partnerships with Microsoft and PayPal, capital is flowing fast across the AI ecosystem. These moves mark a pivotal moment where major players align infrastructure, payments, and consumer access into one seamless network.

Let’s dig in👇

💰 Money Moves

🧠 Amazon cuts 14,000 Jobs as AI moves in

AI-driven job cuts accelerate in major tech companies as automation scales across operations. Amazon’s reported 14,000 corporate layoffs reflect the new wave of workforce optimization tied directly to AI efficiencies. The shift highlights how AI adoption is rapidly redefining productivity metrics and employee stability in Silicon Valley.

🤝 PayPal Partners With OpenAI to Enable ChatGPT Shopping

PayPal partners with OpenAI to let users shop directly within ChatGPT through an “Instant Checkout” protocol. The collaboration positions PayPal as the default digital wallet for conversational commerce, merging payments with generative AI interfaces. Expect ChatGPT’s shopping capabilities to blur the line between chatbot and marketplace starting in 2026.

📊 OpenAI Gives Microsoft 27% Stake, Clears Path to For-Profit

OpenAI gives Microsoft a 27% stake after a year-long restructuring deal valued around $135 billion. The agreement cements Microsoft’s influence over OpenAI’s product ecosystem and secures model access through 2032. It’s a major signal that the AI partnership is evolving from research alliance to fully commercial enterprise.

🚀 New Launches

📊 Claude for Excel by Anthropic

Anthropic launches Claude for Excel, letting users chat directly with spreadsheets, upload or create files, and get formulas, formatting, and analysis all inside the bot. It bridges traditional productivity tools with conversational AI, turning spreadsheets into dynamic workspaces. Expect enterprise analysts to adopt this fast as data work becomes more automated.

🧠 Sam Altman’s Non-Invasive Brain Interface

Sam Altman’s new BCI startup aims to rival Neuralink with a non-surgical brain interface that transmits neural data safely. The project targets accessibility and human-AI collaboration without physical implants. It’s a bold step toward consumer-ready brain interfaces and raises new ethical and regulatory challenges.

🎥 Odyssey 2: Interactive Video Generation

Odyssey 2 debuts a new model that generates interactive videos in real-time where you type, the video responds, and the story evolves dynamically. The update transforms passive viewing into active engagement, blurring the boundary between film and simulation. Expect creators and studios to test this for immersive storytelling and branded experiences.

🧰 Tools of the Day

→ MailerLite Email Marketing MCP Server – Turn your AI tool into a personal email marketing assistant
→ Pokee AI – Vibe your agentic workflows
→ LLM Stats – Compare API models by benchmarks, cost, and capabilities

✍️ Prompt of the Day

Problem–Solution Framework:
“Break down [complex problem] into its core components, identify root causes, and propose 3 actionable solutions with implementation steps.”

⚡ Quick Hits

→ OpenAI strengthens ChatGPT’s mental health responses with new safeguards
→ “Accidental Consumer Tech Company” explains how ChatGPT mirrors Meta
→ Elon Musk launches Grokipedia to create a Wikipedia-style site powered by xAI
→ Adobe CEO says stock undervalued as markets focus heavily on AI chip valuations
→ Amazon’s slower AI-cloud growth could represent a strategic repositioning

🧾 TL;DR

OpenAI’s partnerships and PayPal’s integration mark the next era of AI commercialization where payments, productivity, and interfaces converge. Expect faster capital flow, sharper infrastructure deals, and deeper consumer adoption across the board.

Cheers,
David