walmart

walmart is restructuring its global technology and product teams, leading to approximately 1,000 corporate employees facing layoffs or relocation. This move aims to improve efficiency by combining similar functions and aligning organizational efforts. The retail giant is also experiencing a slowdown in tech hiring, reflected in a significant reduction of H-1B visa applications.

They are today the drivers of the country’s services exports and GDP growth; they are doing cutting-edge tech work; India needs a GCC policy to make them catalyse our educational and research institutions, and our deeptech startup ecosystem

Former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé revealed the NES and SNES Classic Editions were a strategic move to boost sales during the Wii U's struggling years. These retro consoles provided much-needed volume during holiday seasons. Fils-Aimé also detailed a past dispute with Amazon over an 'illegal' pricing arrangement, leading Nintendo to cease sales with the retailer.

As many tech giants pull back on hiring, SpaceX is bucking the trend, actively recruiting brilliant engineers and physicists to expand its AI team, regardless of their background in artificial intelligence. Elon Musk believes that 'smart humans figure it out fast' and is challenging aspirants to demonstrate their extraordinary capabilities through three impactful bullet points.

Asian markets rallied Friday, buoyed by hopes of US-Iran peace talks, though volatile oil prices and Strait of Hormuz concerns fueled inflation worries. Tokyo led gains as investor sentiment improved. Despite diplomatic optimism, rising crude prices prompted reassessment of global interest rate expectations, with the US Federal Reserve potentially hiking rates later this year.

The Department of Justice has subpoenaed Google, Apple, and Amazon for data on over 100,000 users of EZ Lynk's Auto Agent app. This action is part of a lawsuit alleging EZ Lynk sold "defeat devices" to disable vehicle emissions controls. Privacy advocates are concerned the broad requests exceed the case's needs and could impact user data protections.

Indian markets mirrored global trends as US stocks dipped, pressured by rising oil prices and Treasury yields, despite Nvidia's stellar earnings. While AI enthusiasm cooled, a resilient US economy and strong export data from Japan offered some bright spots. However, concerns over geopolitical tensions and inflation persisted, impacting investor sentiment.

US stock indexes traded mixed as easing Treasury yields and lower oil prices calmed investor concerns following last week's bond selloff. The Dow Jones Industrial Average saw gains, while the S&P 500 edged up and the Nasdaq Composite slipped. Investors are now closely watching upcoming corporate earnings, with Nvidia and walmart set to report.

The ISB Online Leadership with AI Programme equips senior leaders to navigate digital disruption by harnessing Generative and Agentic AI for innovation, decision-making, and transformation. Designed for experienced professionals, it blends expert-led masterclasses, hands-on AI tools, global case studies, and a capstone project to build AI-ready leadership skills.

At Galgotias University, students are building careers across leading global organisations, startups, research, innovation, and entrepreneurship-driven ventures.

While generative AI impacts white-collar jobs, Blackstone's Jon Gray highlights a surge in blue-collar employment driven by AI infrastructure investments. Massive spending on data centers is creating lucrative opportunities for skilled trades, though a significant talent shortage looms. Companies are now investing in training initiatives to address this growing demand.

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi is in India to solidify investment plans amidst fierce competition from Rapido. He met with key ministers, discussing EV transitions and dark patterns, and was urged to submit audit reports. Khosrowshahi also highlighted a quadrupling of drivers on Uber's platform since 2022, signaling significant growth.

But Delhi policy wonks just don’t get it. These centres today are drivers of services exports & GDP growth. Now, India needs a policy to make them catalyse our educational, research, and deep-tech ecosystem

Google's I/O 2026 event showcased significant AI advancements. New models like Gemini Omni and Gemini 3.5 Flash were introduced. Google also revealed AI agents such as Gemini Spark and Universal Cart for shopping. Search received its biggest upgrade in 25 years with deeper AI integration. Wearable devices and smart glasses also featured prominently in the announcements.

Sam Walton built walmart not from an office, but by tirelessly visiting competitor stores, gathering insights on operations and pricing. He wasn't the first with the discount idea, but his relentless observation and learning from the ground up allowed him to develop a replicable, disciplined system. This hands-on approach, not a secret algorithm, fueled walmart's rise in a competitive market.

Prat Vemana, executive VP and chief information and product officer at the $105-billion Target, is trying to put AI into the hands of everyone shaping the retail experience, from designers and planners to store teams and digital engineers. And the India centre is playing a central role in the effort to make Target run on AI

A consortium led by Lakshmi Mittal, Aditya Mittal, and Adar Poonawalla has acquired the IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals and its sister entities for approximately $1.65 billion. The deal, expected to conclude in Q3 2026, will see the Mittal family hold a majority stake. This acquisition follows a previous attempt by a Kal Somani-led consortium that faced funding and regulatory hurdles.

Millions of Thermos food and beverage containers are being recalled due to a dangerous defect. The stopper can forcefully eject, causing serious injury. Three individuals have suffered permanent blindness, with 27 other reports of impact and laceration injuries. Consumers should immediately stop using these products and contact Thermos for a free replacement.

Global conflict in Iran is unexpectedly impacting your wardrobe. A brewing supply chain crisis in Asia, driven by surging oil prices due to disrupted shipping routes, is forcing textile manufacturers to cut production.

New-age insurer Acko, backed by General Atlantic and Accel, is gearing up for its IPO, aiming for an early 2027 launch. The company has appointed Morgan Stanley, ICICI Securities, and Kotak Securities as bankers. Acko targets a valuation of $2-2.5 billion, a significant increase from its previous $1.4 billion. This move comes as India's IPO market navigates global volatility.

Amazon faces serious allegations in California. New court filings reveal the e-commerce giant allegedly pressured major brands like Levi's and Hanes. The company reportedly asked these brands to raise prices on rival websites. This action aimed to prevent lower prices elsewhere and maintain Amazon's market position.

American businesses are set to receive billions in refunds for unconstitutional tariffs imposed by former President Trump. The US Customs and Border Protection is launching an online portal this week for importers to file claims, with refunds expected within 60-90 days.

OpenAI's ChatGPT now features a beta integration with Starbucks, allowing users to discover and customize drinks through conversational prompts. This move aims to meet customers' "feeling-based" inspiration and simplify the ordering process. The feature, part of Starbucks' "Back to Starbucks" strategy, directs final orders to the company's own apps to maintain loyalty program functionality.