The AI job cuts are here - or are they? Amazon's move this week to slash thousands of corporate jobs fed into a longstanding anxiety: that Artificial Intelligence is starting to replace workers. The tech giant joined a growing list of companies in the US that have pointed to AI technology as a reason behind layoffs. But some question whether AI is fully to blame - and have voiced scepticism that recent high-profile layoffs are a telling sign of the technology's effect on employment. Chegg, the online education firm, cited the new realities of AI as it announced a 45% reduction in workforce on Monday.

Modern LLMs are increasingly deep, and depth correlates with performance, albeit with diminishing returns. However, do these models use their depth efficiently? Do they compose more features to create higher-order computations that are impossible in shallow models, or do they merely spread the same kinds of computation out over more layers? To address these questions, we analyze the residual stream of the Llama 3.1, Qwen 3, and OLMo 2 family of models. We find: First, comparing the output of the sublayers to the residual stream reveals that layers in the second half contribute much less than those in the first half, with a clear phase transition between the two halves. Second, skipping layers in the second half has a much smaller effect on future computations and output predictions. Third, for multihop tasks, we are unable to find evidence that models are using increased depth to compose subresults in examples involving many hops. Fourth, we seek to directly address whether deeper models are using their additional layers to perform new kinds of computation. To do this, we train linear maps from the residual stream of a shallow model to a deeper one. We find that layers with the same relative depth map best to each other, suggesting that the larger model simply spreads the same computations out over its many layers. All this evidence suggests that deeper models are not using their depth to learn new kinds of computation, but only using the greater depth to perform more fine-grained adjustments to the residual. This may help explain why increasing scale leads to diminishing returns for stacked Transformer architectures.

Random Forest ensembles are a strong baseline for tabular prediction tasks, but their reliance on hundreds of deep trees often results in high inference latency and memory demands, limiting deployment in latency-sensitive or resource-constrained environments. We introduce DiNo (Distance with Nodes) and RanBu (Random Bushes), two shallow-forest methods that convert a small set of depth-limited trees into efficient, distance-weighted predictors. DiNo measures cophenetic distances via the most recent common ancestor of observation pairs, while RanBu applies kernel smoothing to Breiman's classical proximity measure. Both approaches operate entirely after forest training: no additional trees are grown, and tuning of the single bandwidth parameter $h$ requires only lightweight matrix-vector operations. Across three synthetic benchmarks and 25 public datasets, RanBu matches or exceeds the accuracy of full-depth random forests-particularly in high-noise settings-while reducing training plus inference time by up to 95\%. DiNo achieves the best bias-variance trade-off in low-noise regimes at a modest computational cost. Both methods extend directly to quantile regression, maintaining accuracy with substantial speed gains. The implementation is available as an open-source R/C++ package at https://github.com/tiagomendonca/dirf. We focus on structured tabular random samples (i.i.d.), leaving extensions to other modalities for future work.

A/B testing has become the cornerstone of decision-making in online markets, guiding how platforms launch new features, optimize pricing strategies, and improve user experience. In practice, we typically employ the pairwise $t$-test to compare outcomes between the treatment and control groups, thereby assessing the effectiveness of a given strategy. To be trustworthy, these experiments must keep Type I error (i.e., false positive rate) under control; otherwise, we may launch harmful strategies. However, in real-world applications, we find that A/B testing often fails to deliver reliable results. When the data distribution departs from normality or when the treatment and control groups differ in sample size, the commonly used pairwise $t$-test is no longer trustworthy. In this paper, we quantify how skewed, long tailed data and unequal allocation distort error rates and derive explicit formulas for the minimum sample size required for the $t$-test to remain valid. We find that many online feedback metrics require hundreds of millions samples to ensure reliable A/B testing. Thus we introduce an Edgeworth-based correction that provides more accurate $p$-values when the available sample size is limited. Offline experiments on a leading A/B testing platform corroborate the practical value of our theoretical minimum sample size thresholds and demonstrate that the corrected method substantially improves the reliability of A/B testing in real-world conditions.

'Monster' hurricane Melissa makes landfall in Jamaica as multiple people are left dead: Live updates Here are the REAL danger signs you're drinking too much. Forget the crippling headache and brain fog, now doctors reveal the five little-known alarm bells... if you suffer these this is what it's time to do Three US Air Force members are found dead overnight after husband'murdered wife and her colleague before killing himself' Alec Baldwin's daughter Ireland, 30, makes rare sighting with mom Kim Basinger, 71... after calling her family'poisonous' Warning gold rally is turning into a'mini-bust' as prices keep falling I know the pathetic truth about Kristen Bell's'cry for help' that will settle this domestic violence scandal once and for all: KENNEDY'Humiliating' truth about influencer TooTurntTony and his extreme stunts: He's ripped, makes $3m a year and has all the hottest girls... but a dark reality lies beneath LIZ JONES: Why I believe ruthless Kate's the driving force behind Andrew's eviction - and why no one now dares cross her Netanyahu orders'powerful strikes in Gaza' after accusing Hamas of violating ceasefire terms following'faked' return of hostage remains Doctors thought I was on drugs... but they were left horrified when they looked inside my ear A simple, non-surgical medical procedure is giving men the penis shape that ALL women secretly love. The real reasons you wake up at 3am. No it's not just regular insomnia - there's hidden causes that are so easy to fix. Chris Evans, 44, welcomes first child with wife Alba Baptista, 28, as baby's gender and name is revealed Ex-SNL stars break silence on show's'challenging' workplace amid firing bloodbath and mass cast exodus Man's simple diet and exercise regime allows him to run marathons at 91.

Russian troops are making a concerted push in eastern Ukraine and have gained a foothold in the strategic hub of Pokrovsk, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says. Moscow's soldiers outnumber Kyiv's 8-1 in the area and Ukraine cannot match that, Zelensky added while insisting Russia had not yet achieved the planned result. Russia has been trying to capture Pokrovsk for two years. The key supply and transport hub provides supplies and reinforcements to the eastern front - and it would get Moscow closer to occupying the entirety of the Donetsk region. It would also put towns of the heavily fortified fortress belt - Kramatorsk, Slovyansk, Kostyantynivka and Druzhkivka - within easier reach of Moscow.

'Monster' hurricane Melissa makes landfall in Jamaica as multiple people are left dead: Live updates Alec Baldwin's daughter Ireland, 30, makes rare sighting with mom Kim Basinger, 71... after calling her family'poisonous' Netanyahu orders'powerful strikes in Gaza' after accusing Hamas of violating ceasefire terms following'faked' return of hostage remains Warning gold rally is turning into a'mini-bust' as prices keep falling Poignant moment Trump is gifted priceless Abe golfing relic ahead of signing landmark deal... and issuing gushing praise of Japan LIZ JONES: Why I believe ruthless Kate's the driving force behind Andrew's eviction - and why no one now dares cross her Boss of Google's self-driving car company makes dystopian statement about the vehicles killing people Bill Gates now says climate change won't be as serious as he fears - and calls for more spending on vaccines instead Chris Evans, 44, welcomes first child with wife Alba Baptista, 28, as baby's gender and name is revealed I traveled to Latin America for a discount tummy tuck... Apple Martin releases music video after nepo baby's singing was slammed as'off-key drunken karaoke performance' Jennifer Lawrence admits she's planning on a boob job as she reveals all the plastic surgery she's had The mysterious interstellar visitor traveling through our solar system may finally reveal its true nature in just hours, as scientists wait for it to emerge from behind the sun. While many astronomers are convinced the object known as 3I/ATLAS will be confirmed as a comet, some scientists have said the three-mile-long visitor could be an artificially constructed craft that's maneuvering around the solar system. Scientists expect to determine which scenario is correct once they observe exactly where the object exits perihelion, saying that a noticeable shift in its trajectory tomorrow could indicate that 3I/ATLAS is artificially powered. In space travel, the most effective moment to accelerate or decelerate a spacecraft is when it is closest to a massive body. Firing the engine at this point, an effect known as the Oberth effect, produces the greatest change in speed.

Netanyahu orders'powerful strikes in Gaza' after accusing Hamas of violating ceasefire terms following'faked' return of hostage remains LIZ JONES: Why I believe ruthless Kate's the driving force behind Andrew's eviction - and why no one now dares cross her Two teenage plane passengers are'stabbed with metal fork during mid-flight attack' Apple Martin releases music video after nepo baby's singing was slammed as'off-key drunken karaoke performance' War inside Biden's circle revealed as chief of staff urged him to quit following debate disaster Horror in Manhattan as young woman's naked body is found dumped on sidewalk Trump strikes FOUR'narco-terror' boats in one day as death toll skyrockets Hurricane tracker shows Melissa is now stronger than Katrina as'storm of the century' closes in on Jamaica: Live updates Chris Evans, 44, welcomes first child with wife Alba Baptista, 28, as baby's gender and name is revealed Ivanka Trump appointed to glitzy nonprofit board alongside TWO megastar singers who've previously attacked her father'She hasn't told the full story. This is typical her': How David Harbour is'looking after' Lily Allen's daughters despite'victim' singer publicly humiliating him... as insider tells DOLLY BUSBY what's REALLY going on Jennifer Lawrence admits she's planning on a boob job as she reveals all the plastic surgery she's had Brigitte Macron's daughter reveals cruel taunt the French first lady's GRANDCHILDREN have to face and describes the toll it has taken on her health Departures from Miami International Airport (MIA) are facing major delays as severe weather linked to hurricane activity sweeps through South Florida . According to the latest update issued at 11:28am EDT, departing flights are delayed an average of 45 minutes and are climbing. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) alert comes as Hurricane Melissa is just minutes away from making landfall on Jamaica as a Category 5, powerful enough to send pounding waves and dangerous winds north to Florida . Earlier today, meteorologists confirmed that Melissa was now more intense than Katrina, which caused an estimated $125bn worth of damage and killed 1,392 people when it struck New O rleans in 2005.

A prospective buyer tries the iPhone 17 Pro in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 17 October. A prospective buyer tries the iPhone 17 Pro in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 17 October. Tech company's stock enters positive territory for first time this year after gaining about 13% since new iPhone launches Apple topped $4tn in market value for the first time on Tuesday, the third tech company to hit the milestone, as robust demand for its latest iPhones allayed fears over its slow progress in the AI race. Microsoft reached a $4tn market cap for the second time the same day as the wider US stock market hit record highs. Apple's shares have gained about 13% since the new launches on 9 September, in a remarkable turnaround that pushed the stock into positive territory for the first time this year.

LIZ JONES: Why I believe ruthless Kate's the driving force behind Andrew's eviction - and why no one now dares cross her I know the pathetic truth about Kristen Bell's'cry for help' that will settle this domestic violence scandal once and for all: KENNEDY Chris Evans, 44, 'welcomes first child' with wife Alba Baptista, 28, after two years of marriage Horror in Manhattan as young woman's naked body is found dumped on sidewalk Raunchy photos and violent death: Unraveling of famous life coach's spoilt daughter who decided to drive mom's Lexus at 124mph'Humiliating' truth about influencer TooTurntTony and his extreme stunts: He's ripped, makes $3m a year and has all the hottest girls... but a dark reality lies beneath Trump strikes FOUR'narco-terror' boats in one day as death toll skyrockets Hurricane tracker shows Melissa is now stronger than Katrina as'storm of the century' closes in on Jamaica: Live updates Charlie's Angels vet Jaclyn Smith just turned 80... see what she looks like now Ivanka Trump appointed to glitzy nonprofit board alongside TWO megastar singers who've previously attacked her father'She hasn't told the full story. This is typical her': How David Harbour is'looking after' Lily Allen's daughters despite'victim' singer publicly humiliating him... as insider tells DOLLY BUSBY what's REALLY going on Sydney Sweeney reveals she was told to'fix' her face with Botox when she was just 16 William'threatened to strip Eugenie and Beatrice of their titles unless Andrew and Fergie left Royal Lodge' Why I now fear my daughter's rare genetic condition is linked to me becoming a father later in life. This is the evidence you can't ignore: PROF ROB GALLOWAY MORE: Elon Musk's decade-long dream suffers comedy of errors in latest setback America's top automakers have recalled nearly two million of their most popular cars and trucks, citing various safety concerns that could endanger drivers . Ford Motor Company was most affected, warning of a problem with backup cameras in 1.4 million Ford and Lincoln vehicles. The issue could make it harder for drivers to see behind them, creating a risk of crashing into something while reversing.