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Amazon is shedding software developer jobs in San Diego. Is AI to blame?

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Amazon is shedding software developer jobs in San Diego. Is AI to blame?


Retail giant Amazon plans to shed more than 100 San Diego jobs related to software development, which has been tied to artificial intelligence gains and a struggling video game division.

Amazon will lay off 145 workers in San Diego, with their last day set as Jan. 26, said a WARN notice required by state law. It was part of a nationwide layoff of 14,000 corporate workers.

The Seattle-based company had been increasing its San Diego office presence — outside of its retail warehouses — since 2017. It has hired hundreds of local video game developers, software engineers and numerous positions related to technology.

In a blog post, the company said the nationwide layoffs were part of an effort to be leaner and less bureaucratic. It also cited AI as a reason to cut costs.

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“This generation of AI is the most transformative technology we’ve seen since the Internet, and it’s enabling companies to innovate much faster than ever before (in existing market segments and altogether new ones),” wrote Beth Galetti, senior vice president of people experience and technology at Amazon. “We’re convinced that we need to be organized more leanly, with fewer layers and more ownership, to move as quickly as possible for our customers and businesses.”

While dozens of different positions were listed on the San Diego WARN notice, the single biggest cuts were to software development engineers, with more than 50 positions eliminated. Many analysts, like those at Goldman Sachs, have listed the position as one of the most vulnerable to AI. Writing simpler code, for everything from mobile phone applications to computer software, can be done more quickly by AI than a human, they say.

Kevin Carroll, executive director of industry trade group Tech San Diego, said artificial intelligence has slowed hiring for junior software developers, but it hasn’t been a bloodbath of firings. He said software developers are still needed because AI can’t do everything.

“I don’t want to minimize the impact (AI) will have,” he said, “but you are still going to need those mid- to senior-level software developers to manage that.”

Carroll said that San Diegans concerned with the local economy shouldn’t worry too much about the negative effects of AI. He said Qualcomm’s major AI focus, recently announcing new AI accelerator chips, and an abundance of skilled computer engineering students graduating from local universities, will likely make the region a hub for the young technology’s growth.

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Software developers are still sought-after, according to state data that aggregates job listings. It was the fourth-most sought position in September in San Diego County with 769 job advertisements. Yet that is down from the heyday of 2018 to 2019 when it was the most in-demand position. There were 1,688 ads for software developers in August 2019.

Amazon hasn’t been shy about saying AI could change its business. CEO Andy Jassy wrote a blog post in June where he talked about major investments in the technology and what it could mean.

“As we roll out more Generative AI and agents, it should change the way our work is done,” he wrote. “We will need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today, and more people doing other types of jobs.”

Using AI as a reason for layoffs has now coined a new term, “AI washing.” The concept, cited by CNBC in several articles, has several experts claiming many large companies are using it as a justification for old-fashioned cost-cutting.

Another factor at play in the Amazon layoffs is its struggling video game division, which is primarily based in San Diego and Irvine. It was unclear from the company how many of the 14,000 job cuts were related to the division.  Steve Boom, vice president of Audio, Twitch, and Games, sent a letter (obtained by Deadline and other publications) to workers in late October that stated it needed to take a “critical look at the evolving dynamics of the games industry.”

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Amazon leases roughly 250,000 square feet of office space in San Diego, mostly in the University Center area, said retail tracker CoStar. The layoffs aren’t expected to cause enough of a disturbance to require the company to pull out of leases. For comparison, Amazon owns or leases roughly 6.5 million square feet of warehouse space across San Diego County for its robust retail operation. It also has a 344,000-square-foot warehouse in Tijuana.

Amazon said in its’ layoff blog post that it would be offering most of the laid-off workers 90 days to look for a new job within the company, and recruiting teams will prioritize internal candidates for open jobs.

For those who can’t find other Amazon jobs, the company said it will offer severance pay, outplacement services and health insurance benefits for an unspecified amount of time.

 

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Solans, Luna, Guilavogui help RSL beat slumping San Diego, extend unbeaten streak to 6 games :: WRALSportsFan.com

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Solans, Luna, Guilavogui help RSL beat slumping San Diego, extend unbeaten streak to 6 games :: WRALSportsFan.com


— SANDY, Utah (AP) — Sergi Solans had two goals and an assist, Diego Luna added a goal and two assists, and Real Salt Lake beat San Diego FC 4-2 on Saturday night to extend its unbeaten streak to six games.

Morgan Guilavogui scored his first goal in MLS and had an assist for Real Salt Lake (5-1-1). The 28-year-old designated player has five goal contributions in his first six career games.

RSL hasn’t lost since a 1-0 defeat at Vancouver in the season opener.

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San Diego (3-3-2) has lost three in a row and is winless in five straight.

Luna opened the scoring in the fifth minute when he re-directed a misplayed pass by Duran Ferree, San Diego’s 19-year-old goalkeeper, into the net.

Moments later, Solans headed home a perfectly-placed cross played by Luna from outside the right corner of the 18-yard box to the back post to make it 2-0. Solans, a 23-year-old forward, flicked a header from the center of the area inside the right post and past the outstretched arm of Ferree to make it 3-1 in the 37th minute.

Guilavogui slammed home a first-touch shot to give RSL a three-goal lead in the 45th.

Marcus Ingvartsen scored a goal in the 14th minute and Anders Dreyer converted from the penalty spot in the 66th for San Diego.

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Ingvartsen has five goals and an assist this season and has 10 goal contributions (seven goals, three assists) in 16 career MLS appearances.

Rafael Cabral had three saves for RSL.

Ferree finished with five saves.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer

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How San Diego Has Quietly Emerged as One of America’s Great Dining Destinations

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How San Diego Has Quietly Emerged as One of America’s Great Dining Destinations


When John Resnick opened Campfire on a quaint little street in Carlsbad, Calif., in 2016, some locals weren’t sure what to think. The coastal enclave wasn’t exactly awash in innovative, chef-driven establishments, so it was a shock to see the dining room consistently full. Early on, one woman wondered aloud to Resnick, “Where did all these people come from?”

It’s a moment he remembers vividly. “I was struck by her statement, because I think she was surprised that so many other people in Carlsbad were there,” Resnick says. 

The rest of the culinary world would take some time to catch up to what was happening. In 2019, when Michelin expanded to rate restaurants throughout all of California—not just the San Francisco area—Addison was the only one in San Diego to earn a star. But since emerging from the pandemic, the region’s food scene has grown dramatically. Driven by outstanding farms, ingredients, a bumper crop of talented chefs, and a G.D.P. approximately the size of New Zealand or Greece, San Diego County has become one of America’s most underrated dining destinations.

Campfire’s octopus, chorizo, and celery-root entrée.

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Gage Forster

Perhaps no single restaurant is a better emblem for this shift than chef William Bradley’s Addison, which opened in 2006. After landing his first star, Bradley knew he wanted more. To get them, he transformed his French-leaning fare to serve what he calls California Gastronomy, which combines the cultures of SoCal with impeccable ingredients and wildly impressive techniques, prizing flavor over flair. Michelin responded, awarding Addison a second star in 2022, and making it the first Southern California three-star restaurant just a year later. The accolade has created a halo effect, attracting culinary tourists from around the world.

Berry beet tartlets at San Diego’s three-star stalwart Addison.

Berry beet tartlets at San Diego’s three-star stalwart Addison.

Eric Wolfinger

“Earning three stars forces the global dining community to pay attention to a place that may not have been on their radar before,” says chef Eric Bost, a partner in Resnick’s four Carlsbad establishments. 

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Resnick recruited Bost, who spent time at award-winning outposts of Restaurant Guy Savoy, to run Jeune et Jolie, which he led to a star in 2021. They’ve since taken over an old boogie-board factory down the street and converted it to an all-day restaurant and bakery, Wildland. The space also hosts an exquisite tasting-counter experience called Lilo, which was given a Michelin star mere months after opening in April 2025. And as Resnick and Bost grew their successful Carlsbad operation, chef Roberto Alcocer earned a Michelin star for his Mexican fine-dining spot Valle in nearby Oceanside.

The stylish tasting counter at Michelin one-star Lilo in Carlsbad.

The stylish tasting counter at Michelin one-star Lilo in Carlsbad.

Kimberly Motos

About 25 miles to the south, another affluent coastal community is going through its own culinary glow up. In La Jolla, chef Tara Monsod and the hospitality group Puffer Malarkey Collective opened the stylish French steakhouse Le Coq. Chef Erik Anderson, formerly of Michelin two-star Coi, is preparing to launch Roseacre. And last year, Per Se alums Elijah Arizmendi and Brian Hung left New York to open the elegant tasting-menu restaurant Lucien, lured by the ingredients they’d get to serve. “A major reason we chose San Diego is the quality and diversity of the produce,” Arizmendi explains. “San Diego County has more small farms than anywhere else in the U.S., and its many microclimates allow farmers to grow an incredible range of ingredients year-round.”

Wildland’s spicy Italian sandwich.

Wildland’s spicy Italian sandwich.

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Gage Forster

Chef Travis Swikard has also been a tireless advocate for the region’s ingredients since he returned to San Diego, his hometown, and opened Mediterranean-influenced Callie in 2021. There’s no sophomore slump with his latest effort, the French Riviera–inspired Fleurette in La Jolla, where he’s serving his take on classics like leeks vinaigrette and his San Diego “Bouillabaisse” with local red sheepshead fish and spiny lobster. Its food is bright, produce-driven, and attentive in execution, while the dining room maintains a relaxed and unpretentious style of service. And Swikard sees that approach cohering into a regional style with a strong network of professionals behind it.

“It’s really nice that we are developing our own identity, not trying to be like L.A. or any other market, just highlighting what’s great about the San Diego lifestyle and ingredients,” he says. “Similar to New York, a chef community is starting to develop where chefs are supporting each other. There is a true sense of pride to be cooking here.”

Top: In La Jolla, Lucien serves ocean whitefish with tomatoes turned into concasse, sabayon, and other expressions.





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Little Debbie is launching a new flavor of one of its most popular treats

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Little Debbie is launching a new flavor of one of its most popular treats


Little Debbie is officially expanding its doughnut range.

On April 14, the brand announced a new sweet snack: Chocolate Old Fashioned Donuts. The company says there was “massive consumer demand” for the original Big Pack Old Fashioned Donuts, which quickly became a top seller. Now, they’re just giving the people what they want.

The new snack is a chocolate old-fashioned cake doughnut finished with a sweet glaze and is launching in two formats:

  • The Big Pack Carton: This box contains six doughnuts in a retro-inspired package that reflects the brand’s heritage.
  • Single-serve doughnuts: There are also 3-ounce, individually wrapped Chocolate Old Fashioned Donuts, which the brand suggests pairing with a morning coffee or eating on a midday break.

The original, which includes six individually wrapped cake-style doughnuts with a vanilla glaze, first hit stores in June 2025 and, according to the brand, has been “consistently selling out.”

“We saw an incredible response to the Old Fashioned Donut we introduced last year,” said Scott Brownlow, Little Debbie’s brand manager, in a press release. We’re doubling down on what works and giving both loyalists and new fans an irresistible reason to head back to the store.”

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Little Debbie’s Chocolate Old Fashioned Donuts are rolling out now to major retailers, grocery stores and convenience stores nationwide. As with the original Old Fashioned Donut, they become a permanent addition to the brand’s snack lineup.

This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:



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