Issue #92

Gen Z rejects stressful workplace culture, British food gets smaller and more expensive, China builds undersea data centre, and more.

News from October 23 - October 30, 2025

Gen Z Rejects Stressful Workplace Culture

According to YPulse, Gen Z workers are pushing back against workplace cultures that treat every task as an emergency, refusing to confuse stress with productivity.

The viral mantra "It's PR, not the ER" captures their approach. After years of layoffs and stagnant wages, young workers are setting clearer boundaries and calling out artificial urgencies that don't lead to promotions or career growth.

One career coach describes it as part of a broader generational shift to "challenge expectations that aren't mutually beneficial." According to YPulse data, Gen Z prioritises mental health as the foundation of success and will protect it over burning out for minimal return. 26-year-old worker: "It's not like I'm going to get promoted overnight for dropping everything in my life."

Source

British Food Gets Smaller and More Expensive

Consumer group Which? found major British brands are shrinking product sizes and downgrading ingredients as manufacturers battle rising costs.

Aquafresh toothpaste increased from £1.30 for 100ml to £2 for 75ml at major retailers, a 105% rise per 100ml. Quality Street tubs shrank from 600g to 550g while the price jumped from £6 to £7. KitKat multipacks dropped from 21 bars to 18, with prices rising from £3.60 to £5.50.

Some products have also lost key ingredients. White KitKats now contain less than 20% cocoa butter and can no longer be marketed as white chocolate. McVitie's Penguin and Club bars now contain more palm oil than cocoa. Editor Reena Sewraz: "It can feel especially sneaky when manufacturers quietly reduce pack sizes or downgrade key ingredients."

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Silicon Valley Thinks Steroids Solves Population Crisis

The Enhanced Games, launching in May 2026 with Peter Thiel's backing, will allow Olympic athletes to use performance-enhancing drugs while competing for $1 million bounties in Las Vegas.

Co-founder Aron D'Souza says the real business isn't sport. It's a telehealth service selling enhancement protocols to aging populations, modelled on Red Bull's extreme sports marketing strategy. Former Olympic sprinter Fred Kerley and swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev have signed up to compete.

D'Souza argues longevity tech is necessary as governments face declining birth rates and political backlash against immigration, with “enhanced” humans working into their 70s to replace younger immigrant workers, all to remain competitive with AI. Enhanced Games co-founder Aron D'Souza: "How do you reconcile the desire for economic growth with an anti-immigration modality? Well, the solution has to be longevity and human enhancement.”

Source

Bulletin Board

• China Builds Undersea Data Centre. Chinese firm HiCloud launched a 24-megawatt underwater data center off Shanghai, powered by 95% offshore wind and cooled by ocean currents. The $226 million facility cuts power consumption by 23% compared to land-based centers. It follows China's first commercial undersea data center in Hainan, made of submarine server racks hosting 400-500 servers each. Microsoft abandoned a similar project in 2024. Source
• Amazon Cuts 14,000 Corporate Jobs. Amazon is reducing its corporate workforce by 14,000 positions to streamline operations and invest in AI. The e-commerce giant cited the need for fewer layers and faster decision-making as AI transforms work. CEO Andy Jassy previously warned that AI agents would reduce headcount in some roles. Amazon spent $55.6 billion on tech infrastructure in the first half of its financial year. Source
• Startup Raises $60M to Dim Sun. Geoengineering startup Stardust Solutions raised $60 million to develop technology that could cool Earth by spraying aerosol particles into the atmosphere. The company plans outdoor experiments in April, releasing proprietary particles from planes at eleven miles altitude. Critics question governance and safety, with some scientists calling the approach unreasonable. CEO Yanai Yedvab insists deployment will only occur under government-led governance. Source
• Albania's AI Minister Expects 83 Children. Albania's AI government minister Diella is "pregnant" with 83 AI assistants for parliament members, Prime Minister Edi Rama announced. The virtual assistants will attend sessions, take notes, and remind MPs what they missed while away. Rama created the AI minister role to combat nepotism in Albania's corrupt government. Prime Minister Edi Rama: “These children will have their mother’s knowledge regarding European Union legislation.” Source
• 25 States Sue Over Food Stamp Cuts. Twenty-five US states sued the Trump administration for refusing to use a $6 billion emergency fund for food stamps, which would leave 40 million low-income Americans without aid in November. The lawsuit argues withholding the Snap contingency fund is unlawful and would mark the first time in program history the funds weren't used. California Gov Gavin Newsom: "While Donald Trump parades around the world trying to repair the economic damage he's done with his incompetence, he's denying food to millions of Americans.” Source

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