Business

Labour Market Resilience in Focus at India AI Impact Summit 2026


Labour market resilience emerged as a central theme at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 during a session titled “Global Dialogue on AI Usage – Data for Labour Market Resilience.” The discussion examined the changing nature of work amid accelerating artificial intelligence adoption and the policy choices required to manage the transition effectively.

Drawing on emerging international evidence, panellists noted that AI’s impact on employment is differentiated across age groups, sectors and geographies. Early trends suggest that younger workers in roles with higher AI exposure may be experiencing employment pressures. However, the absence of comprehensive and comparable cross-country data continues to limit governments’ ability to design timely and targeted interventions.

The discussion underscored the importance of moving forward with adaptive policy frameworks even in the absence of perfect information. Strengthening social protection systems, expanding reskilling pathways and designing context-specific strategies for sectors such as services, agriculture and public delivery were highlighted as essential steps to ensure inclusive growth.

Shamika Ravi, Member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, observed that India shows one of the highest levels of firm-level AI adoption, characterised by openness and optimism. While productivity effects are still being measured, she noted that AI in India is likely to be applied to long-standing challenges in health, education and services, particularly where last-mile connectivity constraints have limited outcomes.

Yoshua Bengio, Professor at Université de Montréal and a leading AI expert, stated that employment trends observed over the past five years are likely to continue shaping the job market. He cautioned that access to AI will increasingly become a competitive advantage, underscoring the need for international coordination and dialogue to ensure AI development benefits all.

Representatives from Microsoft and OpenAI highlighted that much of the existing evidence on AI’s employment impact is concentrated in a few countries, particularly the United States, with limited data available from emerging economies. This gap makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions and reinforces the need for systematic global data collection on AI adoption and employment outcomes.

The session concluded that strengthening labour market resilience in the AI era will require better measurement of technology adoption, anticipatory governance, coordinated investments in skills and institutional capacity, and robust social protection systems. Only through such integrated efforts can productivity gains from AI translate into broad-based economic and social benefits.

TechPulse

OpenClaw Creator Peter Steinberger Joins OpenAI as Sam Altman Accelerates AI Agent Strategy


OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced that Peter Steinberger, the creator of the viral AI agent OpenClaw, is joining OpenAI as the company sharpens its focus on next-generation autonomous AI systems. Altman confirmed that OpenClaw will continue to operate as an open-source project under a foundation model, with OpenAI providing ongoing support.

OpenClaw, previously known as Clawdbot and Moltbot, was launched just last month by Steinberger and quickly gained momentum across social media and developer communities. Its rapid rise reflects the growing demand for AI agents capable of independently completing tasks, making decisions, and taking actions on behalf of users without constant human oversight. Businesses and consumers alike are increasingly experimenting with AI systems that can handle workflows, research, communication, and operational processes autonomously.

In a post on X, Altman said Steinberger would join OpenAI “to drive the next generation of personal agents,” describing him as “a genius with a lot of amazing ideas about the future of very smart agents interacting with each other to do very useful things for people.” Altman added that intelligent agents are expected to become core to OpenAI’s product offerings in the near future.

Although financial terms were not disclosed, the move underscores the intensifying competition for AI talent across the technology sector. Earlier this year, OpenAI acquired former Apple designer Jony Ive’s AI devices startup io for more than $6 billion. Technology giants including Meta and Google have also been investing billions to attract top AI researchers and developers.

OpenAI, most recently valued at $500 billion, faces mounting competition in the generative AI market, particularly from Anthropic. Anthropic’s Claude models have been gaining traction among enterprise clients, especially with tools such as Claude Code. The company recently introduced Claude Opus 4.6, which it says improves coding capabilities, sustains tasks for longer durations, and delivers higher-quality professional output. Anthropic was reportedly valued at $380 billion in a fundraising round earlier this week.

OpenClaw has also expanded quickly in China, where it can integrate with locally developed language models such as DeepSeek and be configured for use with domestic messaging platforms. Chinese search engine Baidu plans to offer users of its main smartphone application direct access to OpenClaw.

However, some researchers have expressed concerns about the openness of OpenClaw and the potential cybersecurity risks posed by highly customizable AI agents that users can modify extensively. As AI systems become more autonomous and interconnected, the balance between innovation, openness, and security is expected to remain a central issue in the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence landscape.

With Steinberger joining OpenAI and OpenClaw continuing as an open-source initiative, the company appears determined to strengthen its leadership in the emerging era of intelligent AI agents capable of operating with greater independence and collaboration.

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OpenAI Sets Record for Highest Employee Pay in Tech Startup History


OpenAI has reportedly set a historic milestone in the technology sector by recording the highest employee compensation ever seen in a tech startup. In 2025, the company’s average stock-based compensation reached approximately $1.5 million per employee, underscoring both its rapid growth and the fierce global competition for artificial intelligence talent.

Industry analysts note that this compensation structure reflects OpenAI’s pivotal role in shaping the future of AI, with its products and research influencing businesses, governments, and consumers worldwide. Stock-based compensation has become a strategic tool for leading AI firms, allowing them to attract and retain top engineers, researchers, and product leaders in an increasingly competitive market.

The record-breaking figure also signals investor confidence in OpenAI’s long-term valuation and technological leadership. As AI continues to transform industries ranging from healthcare and finance to media and education, companies at the forefront are placing unprecedented value on human capital.

Experts suggest that OpenAI’s compensation levels may set a new standard for AI-driven startups, potentially reshaping salary benchmarks across Silicon Valley and beyond. However, the trend also raises questions about sustainability, talent concentration, and widening gaps between elite tech firms and the broader startup ecosystem.

As the global race for AI dominance accelerates, OpenAI’s compensation milestone highlights a clear reality: talent is now the most valuable currency in the AI economy.

Business

Apple Hits $4 Trillion Market Value as Strong iPhone Sales Offset AI Concerns


Apple has officially surpassed a $4 trillion market value, becoming the third Big Tech company in history to achieve this milestone, after Nvidia and Microsoft. The milestone comes amid robust demand for its iPhone 17 lineup and the iPhone Air, which have helped lift shares about 13% since their launch on September 9, marking Apple’s first positive performance for the year.

The iPhone remains a critical revenue driver, accounting for more than half of Apple’s profit. Analysts say the iPhone Air’s slim design positions Apple to compete effectively against rivals like Samsung Electronics, while early sales of the iPhone 17 have outperformed its predecessor by 14% in key markets such as the U.S. and China, according to research firm Counterpoint. Brokerage Evercore ISI expects the strong demand to exceed market expectations for the quarter ending September, with upbeat forecasts anticipated for the December quarter.

Apple shares had faced headwinds earlier in the year due to stiff competition in China and uncertainties related to high U.S. tariffs affecting its major manufacturing hubs in Asia. While Apple has taken a cautious approach to artificial intelligence, including delayed upgrades to Siri and a slower rollout of the Apple Intelligence suite, reports indicate ongoing collaborations with Alphabet’s Gemini AI, Anthropic, and OpenAI.

Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer of Northlight Asset Management, noted, “The lack of a well-understood AI strategy is one of the overhangs for the stock. If Apple can incorporate AI in a way that excites consumers, it would transform the company.”

Apple reported its strongest quarterly results in years during April-June, achieving double-digit growth across key segments and surpassing analyst expectations. Its shares currently trade at 33.2 times projected earnings for the next 12 months, compared to 27.42 for the Nasdaq 100, reflecting the company’s strong valuation. Apple is expected to announce its Q4 results on October 30, which could further impact investor sentiment.

Despite underperforming the Nasdaq 100 this year, Apple’s milestone highlights the enduring appeal of its ecosystem, driven largely by iPhone sales and global brand loyalty.

Social Media

OpenAI Developing Generative Music Tool That Makes Music from Text & Audio Prompts


OpenAI is working on a new generative music tool that can create music from text and audio prompts. This innovative project is expected to enable users to add original soundtracks or instrumental accompaniments to videos, according to a report by The Information. However, there’s no official word yet on when it will launch, or whether it will be a standalone product or integrated into existing platforms such as ChatGPT or the video-generator Sora.

The tool is expected to offer features like multi-vocal track generation and AI-assisted mixing, making it appealing to independent musicians and content creators. As per the report, the project involves collaboration with students from the prestigious Juilliard School, who are helping to annotate musical scores to provide accurate training data for the AI model. The partnership aims to understand how machines can learn and replicate musical patterns and emotions.

Notably, OpenAI’s new tool builds on its previous projects — MuseNet and Jukebox — and promises enhanced user control over musical style, tone, and energy. Jukebox, released in 2020, enabled users to create AI music in various genres like reggae and blues, though it is no longer actively maintained.

The move by OpenAI into the music generation space is expected to intensify competition with other tech giants like Google and startups like Suno, which already offer generative music solutions. The development of this tool has also sparked discussions around copyright, ethical questions, and creative ownership. Several voices in the music industry have raised concerns about AI companies not fairly compensating artists, with some calling for stronger laws to protect human musicians. At the same time, some scammers have exploited AI music tools to fraudulently earn streaming revenue on platforms like Spotify.

As of now, there is no confirmed release date nor clarity on distribution format. Whether the tool will debut as a stand-alone app or integrate into OpenAI’s broader ecosystem remains to be seen. But if released, it could reshape how creators build music, merge audio with video, and how the music industry approaches production and rights in the age of AI.