100x faster reasoning than LLMs with new arch | TCS layoffs | Hadrian has raised $260M | 2025 - Quantum year

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New AI architecture delivers 100x faster reasoning than LLMs with just 1,000 training examples 
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• A Singapore-based startup has developed the Hierarchical Reasoning Model (HRM), which performs complex reasoning tasks up to 100× faster than traditional large language models.

• HRM achieves high performance using only about 1,000 curated training examples, significantly reducing the need for massive datasets and computing power.

• The architecture mimics human cognitive processes, combining fast intuitive steps with slower analytical ones, offering an efficient AI approach especially useful in data-scarce environments.

Indian tech company TCS to cut workforce by 2%, affecting more than 12,000 jobs
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• Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is planning to cut about 12,200 jobs, amounting to 2% of its global workforce, by FY2026.

• The layoffs will mainly impact middle and senior management roles, as the company restructures in response to slow demand and a shift toward AI and digital services.

• This move signals a broader industry trend of automation and cost optimization in India’s tech services sector.

The Year of Quantum: From concept to reality in 2025
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• 2025 is being recognized as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, marking the transition of quantum technologies from theory to real-world use.

• Quantum technologies, including computing, communication, and sensing, could generate up to $97 billion by 2035 and $198 billion by 2040.

• Analysts emphasize the complementary role of quantum and AI, particularly in solving complex optimization and simulation problems.

Defense manufacturing startup Hadrian closes $260 million funding round led by Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund
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• Hadrian has raised $260 million in Series C funding, led by Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund and Lux Capital, with participation from Andreessen Horowitz, Altimeter Capital, and a debt facility from Morgan Stanley.

• The funding will be used to build a 270,000-square-foot robotic mega-factory in Mesa, Arizona, and expand the company’s Torrance, California, facility, aiming to scale precision manufacturing for sectors like shipbuilding and naval defense.

• Hadrian leverages AI and robotics to automate defense component production, achieving 10× productivity per worker within just 30 days of training, supporting the broader goal of reindustrializing U.S. manufacturing.

When progress doesn’t feel like home: Why many are hesitant to join the AI migration
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• A growing number of people remain disconnected from the AI boom due to limited tech access, education, or digital infrastructure.

• Many in these groups view AI as distant or untrustworthy, leading to hesitancy and resistance in adopting AI-powered tools and platforms.

• Broader reluctance is also driven by fears of job displacement, cultural disconnect, and a lack of support in adapting to rapid technological changes.