☕️ AI's hiring shakeup, UK salary gaps, and Stash’s AI push

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Hackers exploited a zero-day flaw in Qualcomm chips powering millions of Android devices, hitting specific targets in a stealthy attack. Qualcomm's issued fixes, but it's now on device makers like Samsung and OnePlus to patch up the mess before more users get caught in the crossfire.

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AI’s impact on hiring

How generative AI is reshaping productivity—and potentially staffing—at startups.

At The Information’s Women in Tech, Media, and Finance Summit, AI took center stage as executives from top tech companies discussed how it’s changing their operations—and how it might impact hiring. The key takeaway? AI is making teams more productive, but it’s also sparking conversations about whether startups will need to hire as many people going forward.

Why it matters: For founders, AI tools are a game-changer. Amazon’s Q Developer has saved engineers the equivalent of 4,500 years of work by automating code updates, freeing up time for more strategic tasks, said Colleen Aubrey from AWS. Similarly, Anthropic is rethinking its 2025 headcount after seeing how much more productive its developers have become using the company’s AI model, Claude, according to Daniela Amodei, co-founder and president.

The founder takeaway: As AI tools become more accessible, startups can benefit from automating the grunt work—like customer service or basic coding—allowing leaner teams to achieve more. But Jennifer Tejada, CEO of PagerDuty, warned that while AI is great for low-value tasks no one wants to do, businesses need to be cautious when it comes to automating customer-facing roles, like handling security incidents.

Big picture: Founders should embrace AI, but remember: it’s not just about cutting headcount. Tools like Salesforce’s AI-driven customer support agents will make teams more efficient, but they won’t replace the need for strategic hires who can work smarter and focus on high-value tasks.

Zoom out: For startups looking to scale, the message is clear—use AI to boost productivity, but don’t overlook the human touch.

The struggle to secure talent amid salary expectation gaps

Nearly half of UK employers (49%) faced recruitment challenges in the past year, with mismatched salary expectations being the biggest obstacle, according to Michael Page’s 2025 Salary Guides. The report highlights that 57% of HR leaders found it difficult to align candidate salary expectations with what their organisations can offer, creating a major hurdle in securing top talent.

The 2025 Salary Guides, based on data from hundreds of roles across 15 UK sectors, emphasize that businesses must adapt to a competitive recruitment landscape. As salary concerns dominate, organisations without a strong value proposition risk losing candidates to more transparent or competitive offers.

Key challenges HR leaders face:

• Mismatched salary expectations (57%)

• Skills gap (43%)

• Shortage of available candidates (35%)

Sophie Gorvett, Operating Director at Michael Page, noted that businesses are losing talent due to lengthier hiring processes and a lack of salary transparency. She advised companies to benchmark salaries and offer competitive total packages to avoid falling behind in the race for top talent.

In addition to recruitment struggles, 50% of HR organisations are facing retention issues, with salary, work-life balance, and career progression being the primary factors influencing employee turnover.

The takeaway: To succeed in this challenging hiring environment, businesses need to rethink their recruitment strategies, focusing on long-term talent pipelines and ensuring salary transparency to attract and retain the right talent.

Stash co-founders return as co-CEOs amid AI push

Consumer-finance startup Stash has brought back its co-founders, Brandon Krieg and Ed Robinson, as co-CEOs. They take over from Liza Landsman, who led the company since February 2023 but is now leaving to volunteer for Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign.

Stash, with 1.5 million active users and over $3.5 billion in assets under management, is also launching Money Coach, an AI-powered platform providing personalized financial guidance. “The future of money and financial guidance is in generative AI,” Krieg said in a statement, emphasizing Stash’s mission to democratize access to financial services.

Stash, last valued at $1.4 billion, counts high-profile investors like Todd Boehly’s Eldridge Industries and T. Rowe Price among its backers. Its Stock-Back Card continues to offer customers rewards in the form of shares from major companies like Netflix, Spotify, and Amazon.

Why it matters: Stash’s return to its roots with its original founders comes at a critical moment as the company doubles down on AI to drive its financial services.

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