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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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Surprise: Snapdragon Stadium will host 11 Olympic soccer matches in 2028

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Surprise: Snapdragon Stadium will host 11 Olympic soccer matches in 2028


We knew Snapdragon Stadium would host soccer matches during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. What we didn’t know is how many.

We got the answer Monday, and it was far more than expected: 11.

LA28 organizers reshuffled the Olympic soccer schedule, which initially planned to start east and progressively move west to reduce travel, leaving Snapdragon with maybe a quarterfinal or semifinal before the men’s and women’s tournaments conclude at the 89,702-seat Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

Instead, they decided 35,000 capacity Snapdragon is such a suitable venue, both in amenities and vicinity to Los Angeles, that it will host more matches than any of the other six stadiums selected — starting with three women’s group stage doubleheaders on July 11, 14 and 17. (The soccer tournaments begin a few days before the July 14 Opening Ceremony.)

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Snapdragon will also host a women’s quarterfinal (July 21), a men’s and women’s semi (July 24-25) and both bronze medal matches (July 27-28).

The 16-team women’s tournament is generally the more coveted ticket because it is a full national team event that comes just a year after the World Cup. The 12-team men’s tournament is for under-23 players with up to three overaged “wild cards” per team.

The draw won’t take place for another two years, so we don’t know who is playing where. And how you fare in the group stage determines what side of the bracket you land in for the knockout phase.

Based on the current schedule, a reasonable guess is that the U.S. women would be in San Diego for group matches, then move to the larger Rose Bowl for the quarters, semis and final while the opposite side of the bracket comes to San Diego.

Registration for the first ticket lottery ends Wednesday at tickets.la28.org, but it remains unclear whether San Diego County residents will be allowed to apply. Information on the LA28 website indicates the first ticket drop is available only to residents of Los Angeles and Oklahoma City (where the Olympic softball and canoe slalom will be held).

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The other soccer venues are in San Jose, St. Louis, Nashville, New York and Columbus, Ohio. Of the seven total stadiums, only the Rose Bowl is not a Major League Soccer facility. To comply with Olympic sponsorship rules, Snapdragon will be referred to as “San Diego Stadium” during the Games.

“This is a huge moment for our city and everyone who believes in the unifying power of sports,” Mayor Todd Gloria said at the Feb. 3 news conference announcing that Snapdragon would host a then-unknown quantity of games. “San Diego is ready for the world stage. We are a sports city, we are a soccer city and we are without question a global city.”



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Heat wave in San Diego County could bring record highs this week

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Heat wave in San Diego County could bring record highs this week


What to Know

  • The National Weather Service issued a Heat Advisory from Monday at 10 a.m. through Friday at 8 p.m. for the coast and valley communities
  • An Extreme Heat Watch will also go into effect Thursday morning and last through 8 p.m. Friday for our mountains and deserts
  • By the middle of the week, daytime highs could be 20 to 30 degrees above normal, with the likelihood of breaking both daily and monthly records.

It’s hard to believe we’re still in the final days of winter as we’re expected to reach record high temperatures this week for most of San Diego County.

The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory from 10 a.m. Monday to 8 p.m. Friday for the city of San Diego and the valley areas of San Diego County, the NWS said. An extreme heat watch will take effect at 10 a.m. Thursday until 8 p.m., Friday.

“Not only are temperatures exceptionally warm, given the time of year, but the duration of prolonged heat for widespread locations is what is making this an unprecedented heat wave, especially for this time of year,” said the NWS. “By Thursday, it is possible that there will be a few locations possibly breaking monthly records, and then again on Friday, as temperatures will be at their hottest.”

A Heat Advisory remains in effect for the coastal areas and valleys from 10 AM Monday to 8 PM Friday. An Extreme Heat Watch is now in effect for the mountains and low deserts from 10 AM Thursday to 8 PM Friday, the NWS said.

Temperatures of 80 to 90 degrees are expected near the coast, and 100 to 105 degrees inland.

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A weak offshore flow will bring winds of up to 20 mph Sunday through Tuesday. This week, winds will be confined to the usual passes and canyons with peak gusts around 25-35 mph.

“The big story is how this will begin our warming trend as offshore flow combines with the upper level ridge amplifying off the West Coast,” the NWS said.

The agency said Friday is forecast to be the hottest day of the week, with high temperatures around 30 degrees above normal away from the coast, and around 20 degrees above normal at the beaches.

Highs will reach 109-112 degrees in the deserts.

An early-season heat wave has the potential to break monthly high temperature records, especially in the mountains and deserts, the NWS said.

Some San Diegans took in the nice weather with a hike at Cowles Mountain. While locals are welcoming the warm temperatures, they can be dangerous. NBC 7’s M.G. Perez shows us how some outdoor enthusiasts are staying safe.

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Tips to help keep cool and safe:

County officials offered tips on how people and their families can stay safe:

  • Drinking plenty of fluids
  • Stay out of the sun
  • Wear light, loose-fitting clothing
  • Avoid using the oven to cook
  • Limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening
  • Take refuge in air- conditioned spaces if possible
  • Check in on potentially at-risk friends, relatives and neighbors

Responding to Signs of Heatstroke or Heat Exhaustion:

First and foremost, if you find someone who is suffering from symptoms of heatstroke or heat exhaustion — dizziness, nausea, confusion, headache — call 9-1-1 and start cooling them. DO NOT give them fluids to drink. A person with heatstroke may not be able to swallow. Fluids could run down their trachea into their lungs and make it hard for them to breathe.

After calling 9-1-1, start cooling the person by moving them into the shade, spraying them with cool water and fanning. Place them in a cool shower if they are alert, monitor their body temperatures and continue cooling them.



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Men’s March Madness Snubs: San Diego State, Auburn Left Out of NCAA Tournament Field

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Men’s March Madness Snubs: San Diego State, Auburn Left Out of NCAA Tournament Field


Much of the conversation every year after the men’s NCAA tournament selection show is about who didn’t get in. And this year in particular, with all the wild narratives that took off late in the year debating the importance of strength of schedule and how to evaluate teams like Miami (Ohio) and Auburn, we were guaranteed to get at least one team with every reason to be upset that their name wasn’t called. 

Which teams have the biggest gripe about not being selected to go dancing? Here’s a look at five with the most valid complaints. 

San Diego State and the Mountain West 

Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez likely has among the biggest gripes with how her league was treated on Selection Sunday. The league had six top-75 KenPom teams, but only its champion, Utah State, is dancing after San Diego State was the third team out. New Mexico was also in the bubble mix coming down the stretch. For a league that has gotten four or more bids in the last four years, it’s hard to believe just one Mountain West team will have a chance to dance this season. 

San Diego State’s case was the strongest. It had boosted its résumé this week by beating Colorado State and New Mexico in the Mountain West tournament, and hung right with Utah State in the title game most of the way. The Aztecs challenged themselves in the nonconference schedule, playing in the Players Era tournament in Las Vegas and a neutral-site game vs. Arizona. Unfortunately, the Aztecs took a difficult Quad 3 loss to Troy (an eventual NCAA tournament team) in mid-November that haunted them. Teams unfortunately are rarely rewarded for playing buy games against better mid-majors instead of the dregs of Division I. 

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And New Mexico looked in good shape in mid-February, but finished poorly with losses in four of six to close the season. Some of those were heartbreakers: a two-point defeat to San Diego State, a four-point loss to Utah State and two more single-digit defeats against Nevada and Colorado State. Like SDSU, the Lobos were hurt by an early bad loss, falling to rival New Mexico State on Nov. 15 for their worst defeat of the season.

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Auburn 

It’s certainly hard to be sympathetic for Steven Pearl’s Tigers after losing 16 times in the regular season and posting a pedestrian 17–16 record. That being said, everything else about the Tigers’ profile was NCAA tournament caliber. Auburn beat Florida on the road in Gainesville, Fla., the best win of any bubble team by a long shot. They also beat Big East champion St. John’s on a neutral court in November and blew out Arkansas in January. And from a metrics standpoint, Auburn was the strongest overall profile to miss the cut. 

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Is that enough for me to say Auburn deserved to be in? Maybe not. But Auburn’s schedule was so difficult that perhaps the committee could have been a bit more forgiving of its very middling record. 

Oklahoma 

In a season in which it seemed like just about every bubble team stumbled to the finish line, perhaps the committee could have rewarded an Oklahoma team that soared in the season’s final month. In February, the Sooners won on the road at Vanderbilt, a monster résumé-topping win over a top-15 team in the NET. They also notably won late-season matchups against several of the league’s bubble teams, including winning on the road at Texas (one of the last teams in) and blowing out both Missouri and Texas A&M that landed on the No. 10 line. If the objective is to select the best teams at the present moment, Oklahoma certainly seemed more dangerous than some of the teams that enter the Big Dance on a whimper. 

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Instead, it’s yet another bubble heartbreak for the Sooners under Porter Moser, who have made a living coming up just short. The Sooners had a strong case in both 2022 and ’24 but were left out. This year, Oklahoma was the first team out, meaning that if not for bid steals in the Atlantic 10 (VCU) and MAC (Akron), the Sooners would have snuck in. 

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Indiana

You might not call Indiana a snub, but the Hoosiers were in the first four out in spite of their brutal finish. Had the Hoosiers not lost to Northwestern in ugly fashion in the Big Ten tournament, it’s possible Indiana might have been able to sneak in. In the end though, going from 17–8 to 18–14 will elicit little sympathy from most. 

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That said, Darian DeVries is another coach who can’t be enjoying Selection Sunday lately. This year’s snub was far less egregious than last year’s shocking exclusion at West Virginia though.

Seton Hall

This wasn’t as egregious as two years ago, when Seton Hall was left out in spite of a 13–7 Big East record. But Shaheen Holloway can’t be too happy about the lack of respect for his Pirates and the Big East after not even coming close to the field despite winning 21 games. In the end, the Pirates just were victims of too many close calls, losing single-digit games to St. John’s and UConn twice each and in controversial fashion against UCLA in Maui. I maintain the Pirates might have been dangerous despite an anemic offense had they gotten in.

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More March Madness from Sports Illustrated

Listen to SI’s college sports podcast, Others Receiving Votes, below or on Apple and Spotify. Watch the show on SI’s YouTube channel.

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