Samwise High Tech Recruiting Newsletter
Saturday, July 26, 2026
Meta's AI Scoring System Allegedly Penalized Protected Leave Workers
Twenty-six former Meta employees have filed a lawsuit alleging the company’s AI-based performance scoring system disproportionately selected workers on medical, parental, or family leave for its roughly 8,000-person layoff round. The plaintiffs claim that because AI scoring relied on productivity metrics unavailable during protected absences, employees exercising legal leave rights received lower scores — effectively penalizing them for taking leave. The suit invokes the ADA, FMLA, Pregnancy Discrimination Act, and Title VII. Meta disputed the allegations, calling them lacking in merit. The case highlights the legal exposure companies face when deploying AI in workforce reduction decisions.
Sources: HR Dive / HR Executive Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Alphabet Posts 24% Revenue Growth, Google Cloud Surges 82% on AI Hiring Wave
Alphabet reported $119.8 billion in Q2 2026 revenue, a 24% year-over-year jump, with Google Cloud surging 82% to $24.8 billion — its fastest growth in years. Research and development expenses climbed 32% to $18.2 billion, driven largely by AI-related hiring, compensation, and infrastructure. The company raised its 2026 capital expenditure guidance to $195–205 billion to fund AI infrastructure build-out. Nearly 90% of Fortune 100 companies now use Gemini Enterprise. CEO Sundar Pichai credited the cloud acceleration to enterprise AI adoption, signaling continued high-demand hiring in AI engineering, cloud infrastructure, and machine learning roles.
Sources: Yahoo Finance Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Intel Cuts Data Center Jobs Despite 22% Revenue Growth in Restructuring Push
Intel launched another wave of layoffs targeting its Data Center and AI Group — the division responsible for Xeon server processors and custom AI chips — notifying employees around July 21, 2026. The exact headcount was not disclosed, but the company confirmed the cuts are part of its drive to become a “more focused and efficient organization.” This latest round follows the elimination of roughly 40,000 positions globally in 2024 and 2025. Q2 results reported July 23 showed 22% year-over-year revenue growth in the segment despite the reductions, reflecting management’s push to trim organizational layers while accelerating product execution under CEO Lip-Bu Tan.
Amazon WARN Notice Covers 494 Florida Warehouse Workers for $200M Renovation Closure
Amazon has filed a WARN Act notice covering 494 employees at its PBI3 fulfillment center in Port St. Lucie, Florida, with separations scheduled for September and December 2026. The facility at 7600 LTC Parkway will close temporarily for a $200 million renovation and modernization project, including advanced robotics and automated conveyor systems, with construction running through 2028. While Amazon described the closure as temporary, the WARN notice classifies the affected positions as permanent layoffs. The majority of affected workers — 466 of 494 — are FC Associate I employees. Workers who transfer to other Amazon locations before their separation date avoid the layoff.
Workday Launches AI-Native Learning Platform Powered by Sana, Promising 98% Faster Course Creation
Workday announced general availability of Workday Learning, Powered by Sana, on July 22, combining Workday’s HR data platform with Sana’s AI-native learning engine. The product gives employees a personalized AI tutor that coaches them through material and recommends learning paths based on their role, skills, and career goals. For L&D teams, AI-powered authoring tools convert existing PDFs and presentations into interactive courses in hours rather than weeks — with early customers reporting up to 98% less content creation time. Compliance reporting is reportedly up to 5x faster, and learner engagement is 3x higher versus legacy systems. The solution is now available globally for Workday HCM customers.
Sources: Workday Newsroom Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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