Business Insider is laying off 21 percent of its workforce, announces CEO Barbara Peng. She sees the industry at a “crossroads” and wants to become less dependent on SEO traffic and affiliate links. Instead, a live journalism events business is supposed to launch. And of course: “we are going all-in on AI.” The union is not thrilled.
Summary
- Business Insider lays off 21% of staff in 'all-in on AI' pivot, drawing union backlash.
- CEO cites 'traffic volatility' and plans to exit 'traffic-sensitive' commerce verticals, double down on live events.
- Over 70% of BI staff already use Enterprise ChatGPT, aiming for 100% adoption to 'work faster, smarter, better'.
