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- The AI layoff wave is here...
The AI layoff wave is here...
Hunter Kallay
December 26, 2025
In partnership with
We hope you are having a great holiday season! It’s FRY-day, which means it’s time to celebrate with the latest in AI and FRY-nance. 🤑
*The content provided in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.*
🤯 MYSTERY AI LINK 🤯
(The mystery link can lead to ANYTHING AI-related: tools, memes, articles, videos, and more…)
The Future of Shopping? AI + Actual Humans.
AI has changed how consumers shop by speeding up research. But one thing hasn’t changed: shoppers still trust people more than AI.
Levanta’s new Affiliate 3.0 Consumer Report reveals a major shift in how shoppers blend AI tools with human influence. Consumers use AI to explore options, but when it comes time to buy, they still turn to creators, communities, and real experiences to validate their decisions.
The data shows:
Only 10% of shoppers buy through AI-recommended links
87% discover products through creators, blogs, or communities they trust
Human sources like reviews and creators rank higher in trust than AI recommendations
The most effective brands are combining AI discovery with authentic human influence to drive measurable conversions.
Affiliate marketing isn’t being replaced by AI, it’s being amplified by it.
SALTY STORIES OF THE WEEK 🧂
In 2025, AI was cited as the reason for nearly 55,000 U.S. job cuts, contributing to over 1.17 million total layoffs—the highest since the pandemic. Major companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Salesforce, IBM, CrowdStrike, and Workday all reduced staff and pointed to AI as a key factor, using it to automate tasks, streamline operations, and cut costs. (Read More)
Alphabet, Google’s parent company, is buying clean energy developer Intersect for $4.75 billion in cash and assumed debt to help meet the massive energy demands of AI. The deal gives Alphabet access to Intersect’s in-development and under-construction energy and data center projects, which are expected to deliver over 10 gigawatts of power—more than five times the output of the Hoover Dam—by 2028. This move is part of a growing trend where tech giants are investing heavily in energy infrastructure to support AI growth. (Read More)
Nvidia is licensing technology from Groq, a rising competitor in AI chips, and bringing on Groq’s CEO and top leaders. While Nvidia says it’s not acquiring the company, reports suggest it may be spending up to $20 billion on the deal—potentially its biggest yet. Groq is known for developing a new kind of chip, the LPU, which it claims runs AI models much faster and more efficiently than current GPUs. (Read More)
THIS WEEK’S DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH 💎
Image: Lumentum
This week’s diamond in the rough: Lumentum Holdings
How is Lumentum using AI? Lumentum makes the optical hardware—like lasers, transceivers, and switches—that powers the lightning-fast data movement required by artificial intelligence and cloud computing. As AI models become larger and more demanding, traditional electrical systems can’t keep up. Lumentum’s technology solves this by using light to move data faster, with less power and lower delays. Big tech companies like Nvidia and major cloud providers are turning to Lumentum to build the next generation of AI data centers. Its products are already being used in high-speed networking upgrades, and the company is now ramping up production of cutting-edge components like co-packaged optics and optical circuit switches, which are essential for training and running powerful AI systems.
Why is Lumentum valuable? Company revenue jumped 58% in the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, a strong sign that AI demand is driving real business growth. The company beat expectations, hit its $600 million revenue milestone two quarters early, and more than doubled its earnings before interest and taxes from the previous quarter. It still isn’t generating positive free cash flow, but it added over $1.1 billion in cash reserves and cut its debt-to-earnings ratio significantly, showing financial progress.
HOW ARE THE BIG AI PLAYERS DOING?
The Future of AI in Marketing. Your Shortcut to Smarter, Faster Marketing.
This guide distills 10 AI strategies from industry leaders that are transforming marketing.
Learn how HubSpot's engineering team achieved 15-20% productivity gains with AI
Learn how AI-driven emails achieved 94% higher conversion rates
Discover 7 ways to enhance your marketing strategy with AI.
FRY-NANCIAL TOOL OF THE WEEK 🔧
Image: Preso
What is the tool? Preso helps you analyze and automate your budget.
What are the features?
Overview: Leverage AI-powered workflows to get a comprehensive view of your budget, spending, and financial health in one place.
Plan: Get a detailed breakdown of essential and non-essential subcategories. Customize your plan to fit your unique lifestyle and goals.
Budget: Start tracking your budget automatically with the Budget Tracker. Adjust and personalize your categories as your needs evolve.
FRY-AI FANATICS OF THE WEEK 🍟
Some of our best Fresh and Crispy reviews of the week:
“A newsletter I actually look forward to reading…. 😃” -Emily | “Merry Christmas to the FryAI team! Great job, excellent content.” -Jerri |
(Leave a comment for us in any newsletter, and you could be featured next week!)
ONLY 3 DAYS LEFT TO ENTER OUR RAFFLE!
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We are giving away META RAY-BANS … and huge discounts on our new AI community (coming soon)! To enter, all we ask is that you fill out this short, two-question survey:
We are extending the raffle entry for the holidays! … Raffle entry will close on December 28th, and winners will be contacted on Monday, December 29th!
Turn AI Into Extra Income
You don’t need to be a coder to make AI work for you. Subscribe to Mindstream and get 200+ proven ideas showing how real people are using ChatGPT, Midjourney, and other tools to earn on the side.
From small wins to full-on ventures, this guide helps you turn AI skills into real results, without the overwhelm.
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