Part 3/10:
The markets are heavily skewed, with gains largely driven by the "Magnificent Seven"—a handful of mega-cap stocks holding up the vast majority of the indices. Meanwhile, companies like Meta are starting to freeze signing bonuses, indicating a cooling-off period after recruiting top talent aggressively to develop their AI capabilities.
Talent & Funding Drain: The Strain on Companies
Many AI and tech companies have been actively poaching top-tier talent through lucrative signing bonuses. However, with the market slowing, these companies are now cutting back on signing bonuses and freezing hiring. This talent drain, coupled with the drying up of hundreds of millions of dollars in funding, signals a challenging environment for AI startups and established firms alike.