Samwise High Tech Recruiting Newsletter
Tuesday, June 16, 2026
AI-Justified Tech Layoffs Reach Nearly 1,000 a Day as Backlash Builds
TechCrunch reported on June 15 that the tech sector has recorded 363 rounds of layoffs since the start of 2026, affecting nearly 150,000 people at an average rate of 974 employees per day, with artificial intelligence cited as the most frequent justification for a third consecutive month. The report notes that many of the companies making the deepest cuts are also the sector’s most profitable, fueling skepticism that AI is being used as cover for correcting earlier over-hiring rather than driving genuine displacement. Analysts warn the optics, set against widening wealth gaps and cost-of-living pressure, risk fueling broader public backlash.
Sources: TechCrunch
NewCore Exits Stealth With $66M to Give AI Agents Workforce Identities
Cybersecurity startup NewCore emerged from stealth on June 15 with $66 million in funding from Cyberstarts, Index Ventures and Evolution Equity Partners, at a post-investment valuation of about $300 million. The company is building an identity platform for what it calls the agentic enterprise, a workforce that now includes employees, machines and AI agents requiring authentication, governance and policy enforcement. NewCore treats AI agents as distinct identities with their own lifecycle, trust score and revocation process rather than as traditional service accounts. Chief executive Zohar Alon previously founded Dome9, which Check Point acquired, the company said.
Sources: TechCrunch
Orbio Raises $21M to Automate Hiring and Onboarding for Frontline Workers
Madrid-based Orbio raised $21 million in a Series A round led by Dawn Capital, with participation from Visionaries and 2100 Ventures, bringing total funding to $26 million, TechCrunch reported. Orbio builds AI agents that interview candidates, onboard workers, monitor performance and run check-ins across frontline teams, a segment historically underserved by enterprise software built for desk workers. The company said its customers already include Poke, Yum! Brands and The Stepping Stones Group, with some moving from pilots to running full U.S. hiring and onboarding workflows on the system. Founder Sergi Bastardas said the capital will fund development of more AI agents.
Sources: TechCrunch
Cohere Triples London Footprint, Adding Capacity for Up to 100 Staff
Enterprise AI company Cohere is tripling its UK footprint with a new London office at 100 New Oxford Street, providing more than 14,000 square feet of workspace and capacity for up to 100 people, AIwire reported on June 15. The Canadian firm is positioning itself as a secure provider for governments and regulated industries, promising not to retain customer data and offering models deployable on-premises or in private clouds. Cohere already serves UK customers including Reuters, Aston Martin F1 and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. The expansion follows its planned tie-up with Germany’s Aleph Alpha and its acquisition of Reliant AI.
Sources: AIwire
A Year After Meta’s $14B Wang Hire, AI Leaders Face Pressure to Deliver
One year after Meta paid $14.3 billion for 49 percent of Scale AI and recruited founder Alexandr Wang to run Meta Superintelligence Labs, the company faces mounting pressure to prove it can monetize the resulting tools, CNBC reported on June 14. Wang’s principal accomplishment to date is the Muse Spark model, delivered in April, marking Meta’s first move into proprietary foundation models. With the model in hand, the task now falls to chief executive Mark Zuckerberg to attract paying users rather than merely enhance Meta’s advertising business. CNBC reported tension at the top of the AI organization, with Wang and other high-profile hires under severe pressure.
Sources: CNBC
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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