EPISODE · Nov 8, 2024 · 27 MIN
October rundown: Can the four-day week work for tech?
from The ITPro Podcast
It's that time of year when the clocks change and the nights draw in, the familiar starts to take on a new aspect as the shadows lengthen, and in the world of IT, trends that have been taken for granted are also starting to take on a new shape. As countries battle productivity problems, can they replicate the success of Iceland's four-day working week? Elsewhere, developers have started to question just how useful AI coding tools really are, and OpenAI has had another successful funding round – but is interest in the company starting to wain?In this episode, Jane is once again joined by Ross Kelly, ITPro’s news and analysis editor, to unpack the most interesting news that October brought.Read more:New four-day week trial kicks off for workers across UKIceland’s four-day working week trials have been a roaring success – economic growth spiked, workers were happier, and burnout plummetedThe benefits of a four-day week in techUK's four-day week trial ends, leads to reduced burnout and sick daysOpenAI just raised $6.6bn in funding, but it drove a hard bargain – investors will be stopped from funding rivalsOpenAI could go bankrupt in 12 months if it doesn’t raise some serious cash – but is the Microsoft-backed AI giant too big to fail?
What this episode covers
It's that time of year when the clocks change and the nights draw in, the familiar starts to take on a new aspect as the shadows lengthen, and in the world of IT, trends that have been taken for granted are also starting to take on a new shape. As countries battle productivity problems, can they replicate the success of Iceland's four-day working week? Elsewhere, developers have started to question just how useful AI coding tools really are, and OpenAI has had another successful funding round – but is interest in the company starting to wain?In this episode, Jane is once again joined by Ross Kelly, ITPro’s news and analysis editor, to unpack the most interesting news that October brought.Read more:https://www.itpro.com/business/business-strategy/new-four-day-working-week-trial-kicks-off-for-workers-across-uk (New four-day week trial kicks off for workers across UK) https://www.itpro.com/business/business-strategy/icelands-four-day-working-week-trials-have-been-a-roaring-success-economic-growth-spiked-workers-were-happier-and-burnout-plummeted (Iceland’s four-day working week trials have been a roaring success – economic growth spiked, workers were happier, and burnout plummeted) https://www.itpro.com/business/business-strategy/the-benefits-of-a-four-day-week-in-tech (The benefits of a four-day week in tech) https://www.itpro.com/business-strategy/flexible-working/370106/uks-four-day-week-trial-ends-shows-reduced-burnout-sick-days (UK's four-day week trial ends, leads to reduced burnout and sick days) https://www.itpro.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/openai-just-raised-usd6-6bn-in-funding-but-it-drove-a-hard-bargain-investors-will-be-stopped-from-funding-rivals (OpenAI just raised $6.6bn in funding, but it drove a hard bargain – investors will be stopped from funding rivals) https://www.itpro.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/openai-could-go-bankrupt-in-12-months-if-it-doesnt-raise-some-serious-cash-but-is-the-microsoft-backed-ai-giant-too-big-to-fail (OpenAI could go bankrupt in 12 months if it doesn’t raise some serious cash – but is the Microsoft-backed AI giant too big to fail?)
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October rundown: Can the four-day week work for tech?
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