Samwise High Tech Recruiting Newsletter
Wednesday, September 9, 2026
OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, and xAI Each Sign Pentagon Contracts Worth Up to $200M
OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, and Elon Musk's xAI have each signed contracts with the U.S. Pentagon worth up to $200 million, IBTimes reported September 8. The agreements give the Department of Defense formal commitments from four of America's largest AI companies. The contracts arrive alongside legal controversy involving Anthropic: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had designated the AI safety company a supply chain risk, but a federal judge ruled that designation unlawful. All four firms now hold active Pentagon contracts as the federal government formalizes its relationships with the country's leading artificial intelligence laboratories.
Fintech Companies Are Unbundling Global Payroll from Traditional Processing
Global payroll processing is shifting away from traditional banks and legacy HR platforms as financial technology companies build specialized alternatives, HR Executive reported September 8. Firms including Papaya Global, Multiplier, Payoneer, Revolut, Deel, and Walmart OnePay are developing platforms designed to move employee payments faster, reduce cross-border costs, and simplify compliance for internationally distributed workforces. Some providers are also beginning to incorporate stablecoins into payroll delivery. HR Executive describes the transformation as an unbundling of global payroll — separating payment processing from the broader HR software suites that once dominated compensation management.
Sources: HR Executive
Remote Work Is Reshaping the Definition of Presenteeism, Researchers Find
A new academic study argues that remote work has made the traditional definition of presenteeism — working while ill — too narrow for the modern workplace, HR Executive reported September 8. Researchers from the University of Manchester, National Taiwan University, and Soochow University propose redefining presenteeism as working in suboptimal health with varied location choices and engagement levels. Their framework identifies three dimensions — health type, work location, and engagement — producing eight distinct forms of the behavior. The paper calls on employers to evaluate whether workers have flexibility to reduce hours or workload when sick, rather than treating working while ill as universally good or bad.
Sources: HR Executive
Volkswagen Supervisory Board Approves Plan to Cut 100,000 Jobs by 2030
Volkswagen's supervisory board has approved a restructuring plan to cut a cumulative 100,000 jobs by the end of the decade, bringing total agreed workforce reductions to 15 percent of the company's global staff, HR Executive reported September 8. The plan — called Future Plan 2030 — adds 50,000 newly agreed cuts on top of a previous agreement for the same number. Four German plants in Emmen, Hanover, Zwickau, and Neckarsulm face production phase-outs over the coming years. Volkswagen cited Chinese competition and U.S. tariff costs as key drivers behind the decision to reduce its workforce and vehicle offerings.
Sources: HR Executive
Apple Holds First Event Under New CEO John Ternus, Foldable iPhone Among Expected Reveals
Apple is holding its first major product event under new CEO John Ternus on September 9 at Apple Park in Cupertino, Fortune reported. Analysts expect the company to reveal its first foldable iPhone — priced around $2,000 for the base model — along with iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models, Apple Watch Series 12, and AirPods 5. Ternus, 51, took over as CEO on September 1, succeeding Tim Cook. Fortune reports the event comes as questions grow over Apple's artificial intelligence strategy, with a new Siri AI — described as partly reliant on Google technology — set for fall release.
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