Top of the Friday to you! Let's make today count.

🤫 Geek Goss 🤭

#ChatGPTSecurityScare - A company that pays out close to a million dollars to its ML Engineers could not build their frontend application securely. So, get this— OpenAI's shiny new ChatGPT Mac app was basically leaving your chats out in the open like a teenager's diary! Until Friday, anyone snooping around could read your deep dark secrets. They’ve patched it now, but still... talk about a major facepalm moment!

#AppleCavesIn - Apple just pulled a classic "bend the knee" to the Kremlin! They've yanked top VPN apps from the Russian AppStore, leaving everyone scrambling to stay online and uncensored. Just another day of tech giants bowing to pressure

⌛ The Past 24 hours

Microsoft Announces New Round of Layoffs Amid Restructuring

Microsoft executed another round of layoffs impacting various teams and geographies. This follows prior cuts in its Azure cloud and HoloLens units. The company cited ongoing restructuring as it prioritizes strategic growth areas and manages capital spending for AI infrastructure.

Netflix Phases Out Cheapest Ad-Free Plan

Netflix has started discontinuing its cheapest ad-free Basic plan, beginning with the UK and Canada. Subscribers must switch to either the Standard with Ads, Standard, or Premium 4K plans. This change follows Netflix's strategy to push users towards ad-supported tiers, expanding globally.

Summary of New Features Introduced in WhatsApp in June 2024

WhatsApp rolled out several new features in June 2024, including Meta AI integration, Meta Verified badges for businesses, and improved voice and video calling. Users can now enjoy better chat organization with the Favorites filter on iOS and enhanced media quality selection options.

👩🏾‍💻 Bit Boutique

Env Cmd | Set environment variables from a file

Fast JSON Stringify | JSON.stringify() - but 2x faster

📢 In case you missed it

• AI Manthan Conclave will be taking place from 12th to 13th July at IIM Nagpur. Touted as India’s largest AI conference, the event will see academic leaders, doyens and IT experts as distinguished speakers.

• DigitalOcean’s Deploy conference will be held on 9th July. This is a virtual conference where you can hear from product and industry experts about DigitalOcean’s latest product releases.

💼 Job Board

🎲 Miscellaneous

New Job Title Emerging - The AI Engineer

The role of AI Engineers is rapidly growing as applied AI capabilities advance. Unlike traditional ML engineers, AI Engineers leverage APIs and open-source tools to create AI-driven products quickly. This shift is expected to make AI Engineering one of the highest-demand tech jobs of the decade, with a focus on practical application over deep research.

How New York Times Improved their Web Performance with React 18

The New York Times upgraded its core news site to React 18, resulting in significant performance improvements, including a 30% drop in INP scores and halved re-renders. Key updates include smoother rendering with Concurrent Mode, automatic batching, and improved hydration processes for embedded interactives. This upgrade enhances user experience and SEO rankings, setting the stage for future innovations.

A Senior Engineer’s Guide to Effective Weekly Planning in Big Tech

A senior engineer shares an updated weekly planning system that enhances productivity and goal alignment. The system uses an Excel template to prioritize tasks, estimate time, and reflect on achievements. This method has improved task completion rates and reduced overplanning, making it easier to track accomplishments and focus on critical work.

Engineering Managers Face Increased Workload and Burnout in 2024

Engineering managers are experiencing heightened responsibilities and burnout, with 65% reporting burnout in the past year, according to Jellyfish. LeadDev's survey found that 71% have more responsibilities and 35% work longer hours. Despite 57% seeing team growth, middle management faces significant reductions. Job security concerns persist, with 39% more worried than last year.