A Microsoft executive is facing backlash after suggesting that recently laid-off employees use artificial intelligence to cope with unemployment. The company cut approximately 9,000 jobs last week, many in its gaming division, as it continues to shift focus and invest tens of billions of dollars into artificial intelligence. Matt Turnbull, an executive producer at Xbox Game Studios Publishing, posted AI-generated prompts to LinkedIn offering laid-off workers help with career planning, résumé writing, and even emotional support. The post, which has since been deleted, sparked swift criticism across social media where users called him'out of touch' and'tone-deaf.' 'These are really challenging times,' Turnbull wrote, encouraging displaced employees to use chatbots to help manage feelings of impostor syndrome and reframe their layoff experiences in a more positive light. His message included suggestions for using AI to develop 30-day job search plans and tailor résumés for different industries.

Was the series finale of the hit South Korean Netflix show Squid Game a good one? Depending on who you ask, not really. Judging by the endless online chatter, many viewers found the ending unsatisfying -- not necessarily because it didn't tie up loose ends (although it arguably did not), but because it left the characters in an especially grim place. For others -- particularly those with some extra time on their hands -- it became the perfect excuse to fire up Google's Veo 3 and craft an entirely new ending. Spoilers ahead, but the ending of Squid Game Season 3 is bleak.

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. A US astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) recently caught a glimpse of one of Earth's least understood atmospheric phenomena. While orbiting in the early hours of July 3, Nichole "Vapor" Ayers snapped a photo of a transient luminous event, as she passed over North America. Better known as a sprite, these atmospheric events are common after a lightning strike. Wow," Ayers posted to social media later that day along with the stunning picture.

I am not a morning person, yet my alarm goes off at 5:30 am every day. This is because the editorial team I work with is on the East Coast, and I'm in Oregon. I do a quick check of email and Slack to make sure nothing is on fire, then settle down to a relaxed first cup of coffee. Unfortunately, one day in early June, my website was, at least figuratively, on fire. My hosting provider sent me a notice telling me that one of the plugins that kept the site secure had security vulnerabilities and needed to be deactivated.

A terrifying new scam is sweeping across the US, catching people off guard with fake threats of arrest and demands for payment. The FBI issued a warning about criminals impersonating federal officials in phone calls targeting potential victims. In some cases, callers falsely claim a victim's Social Security number is frozen or that a loved one must pay for GPS monitoring to be released from jail, creating a false sense of urgency. The scam relies on phone number spoofing technology, which falsifies caller ID to make it appear as though the call is coming from trusted government agencies. Federal agents say scammers are demanding thousands of dollars in payment via prepaid gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency ATMs.

When The Browser Company announced they were ending Arc and developing an agentic browser that could leverage AI in ways other browsers were not, I was skeptical. I was starting to see the value in AI, but using it in such a way seemed like just another crutch for users to lean on -- so they didn't have to take the time to do those things themselves. I also saw it as a possible security and privacy issue. And then I was accepted into the Dia beta program. After installing Dia on my MacBook, I saw it in action, and, well, it's impressive.

It's been more than a year since Ikea's smart hub got a Matter update, but up until now, the Dirigea hub could only act as a bridge between Ikea devices and existing Matter networks. That's about to change thanks to a just-released firmware update. Dirigea firmware update 2.805.6 gives the Dirigea hub Matter controller capabilities, meaning it can now discover and take charge of Matter devices, including those from third-party manufacturers. The firmware update was confirmed by an Ikea rep on Reddit. Previously, the Dirigera hub could only expose Ikea devices to other Matter controllers, such as the Apple HomePod mini, the Amazon Echo, and the Google Nest Hub.

I am not a morning person, yet my alarm goes off at 5:30 am every day. This is because the editorial team I work with is on the East Coast, and I'm in Oregon. I do a quick check of email and Slack to make sure nothing is on fire, then settle down to a relaxed first cup of coffee. Unfortunately, one day in early June, my website was, at least figuratively, on fire. My hosting provider sent me a notice telling me that one of the plugins that kept the site secure had security vulnerabilities and needed to be deactivated.

This latest TV deal provides a great screen upgrade that doesn't blow your entire Prime Day budget. Amazon has quietly dropped the 65-inch Roku Smart TV (from the Select Series) to just 348 -- a solid 23% off its usual 449.99 price. At its lowest-ever price, this is one of the best big-screen bargains we've seen so far. Despite the wallet-friendly price tag, this Roku smart TV still delivers where it counts. The 4K HDR10 display offers up sharp detail and rich colours, whether you're deep into the latest summer thrillers like Jurassic World Rebirth or 28 Years Later when they get home releases, or streaming old-school classics. Roku's Smart Picture technology automatically adjusts your settings for the best possible viewing experience, so you don't have to lift a finger.

As the One Big Beautiful Bill bounced around Congress, one provision--the 10-year moratorium on states making laws to regulate artificial intelligence--fell out. But AI-fans don't need to worry, there's still plenty of industry support in the bill. Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking "Try Free" at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.