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What ClickUp’s mass layoff tells us about the future of work

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AI’s biggest champions have argued for some time that the technology will usher in an era of unprecedented productivity gains, richly rewarding workers who harness it while displacing those who don’t.

Zeb Evans, CEO of the collaboration software startup ClickUp, claims that this shift is imminent. Last Thursday, Evans announced on X that the company, which was last valued in 2021 at $4 billion, had laid off 22% of its workforce yet characterized that reduction as not a cost-cutting measure, but rather a radical embrace of AI that will propel the company to the next level.

“Most savings from this change will flow directly back into the people who stay. We’ll be introducing million-dollar salary bands. If you create outsized impact using AI, you’ll be paid outside of traditional bands,” Evans wrote.

ClickUp recently introduced roughly 3,000 internal AI agents to handle a wide range of complex tasks on behalf of its employees, according to a Fortune article published several days ago. Instead of performing the work themselves, staff members are now expected to direct these agents and ultimately review the output to ensure it meets the company’s standards.

Evans’s goal, according to his X post, is for AI to turbocharge ClickUp into a “100x org.”  

ClickUp is not alone in its hope that AI agents will provide massive productivity gains.

In fact, according to a recent Gartner survey, about 80% of companies using autonomous tech have cut jobs. However, the study found that workforce reductions aren’t necessarily translating into meaningful financial returns.

While Gartner’s findings suggest some companies use unproven AI as an excuse to downsize, ClickUp maintains it is not one of them.

Evans told TechCrunch via email that the startup is indeed seeing productivity gains from AI agents. Not only is ClickUp measuring those efficiencies internally, but it’s also apparently gearing up to include them in a forthcoming product for its customers.   

“Instead of gamifying token cost, we gamify value created and time saved,” Evans wrote.

In recent months, a growing number of companies have started monitoring employee token consumption, using it as a metric to see who is actually adopting AI tools. But critics argue that “tokenmaxxing”—as this concept is known—is the wrong metric because it simply racks up AI expenses.

“The people that automate their jobs with AI will always have a job,” Evans claimed in his post. But if AI keeps taking over more tasks, ClickUp will eventually need fewer and fewer people, eliminating those who fail to automate their functions well.

Tech circles have long theorized about this scenario.

One extreme example of a high-profile startup using AI automation to the max already exists. Polsia, a one-year-old startup that claims to handle all software operations for solopreneurs, is run by just one person: its founder and CEO, Ben Broca. That efficiency is apparently paying off: Polsia just raised $30 million at a $250 million valuation.

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Aminu Kano hospital introduces IVF service for childless couples

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The Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) has recorded a major milestone with the introduction of In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) service provision to restore hopes of childless couples.

The milestone was recorded by a team of the hospital’s assisted reproductive health technology and others.

The Chief Consultant Gynaecologist and IVF Specialist at AKTH, Dr Ibrahim Rais, disclosed this in a video shared on the hospital’s official Facebook page.

Mr Rais said the team collected eggs from two women, while semen samples were also collected from their husbands for the next stage of the IVF procedure.

“Today marks a great milestone in the history of AKTH and the IVF service provision in the institution.

“The hospital’s Chief Medical Director, CMD, Abdulrahman Sheshe and his team has been working assiduously and today we have achieved this great milestone of the first egg collection in this institution.

“We have collected eggs from two women and also collected semen samples from their husbands. The eggs collected will be fertilised with their husbands’ sperm and we hope to achieve success.

“We are going to continue the service provision with three more patients and then we cap it up on Sunday with the last patient,” he said.

Mr Rais said commencement of the service would bring the service close to the population and restore hope among couples suffering from infertility.

“It is also important to note that starting IVF services in AKTH has been a very important development because the center will form one of points for service provision to the teeming population needing IVF services.

“It will form a centre of excellence for training in the field of Obstetric and Gynaecologist and Reproductive medicine.

“We have extracted more than a dozen eggs for now. Embryologists are working assiduously to ensure that there is fertilisation by sperm of the patients that had the procedure.

“We will go on to get more eggs that will generate more embryos and translate to potential more Nigerians,” Mr Rais said.

Similarly, the hospital in a statement on its official handle, said the milestone was achieved through the collaborative efforts of AKTH staff, specialist reproductive health experts from Jos and Abuja, and two embryologists.

It described the development as a significant step towards expanding advanced fertility services and bringing hope closer to residents.

Meanwhile, the hospital congratulated the the AKTH team for attaining the feat.

(NAN)

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Nigerian Trio Take Major Step as Buruj Football Academy Secures UK Trial Opportunities

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Three promising Nigerian youngsters — Raheem Moyinoluwa Salaudeen, Fawas Ayomide Adeleke and Jacob Obiora Iyida — are taking another important step in their football development after being registered for trial opportunities in the United Kingdom.

The trio, who are associated with Buruj Football Club and Buruj Sports Academy, will have the opportunity to experience football in a different environment while testing themselves against talented players in the UK.

Read Also: “When We Honour Our Legends, We Invest in the Future” — SSA Adeboye Commends Ex-Internationals Cup

The registration is part of Buruj’s wider commitment to creating international pathways for young Nigerian footballers and providing them with opportunities to gain exposure beyond the domestic football system.

For Raheem, Fawas and Jacob, the UK opportunity represents more than simply a football trial. It is a chance to learn, adapt and understand the demands of playing in a different football culture.

The three youngsters have continued to show commitment and determination throughout their development, and their latest opportunity provides another platform to showcase the qualities they have developed through their time in Nigeria.

Speaking about the opportunity, Raheem Salaudeen said:

“This is a big opportunity for us and we are grateful to everyone who has supported our journey. We want to go there, learn as much as possible, compete with confidence and show what Nigerian young players can do.”

Fawas Adeleke also expressed his determination to make the most of the experience:

“I see this as an opportunity to improve myself and understand a different style of football. I want to work hard, listen to the coaches and make every opportunity count. Hopefully, this will open another door for my career.”

For Jacob Obiora Iyida, the focus is equally clear — continue learning, gaining experience and taking another step towards his professional ambitions.

“I’m excited about the opportunity because playing outside Nigeria has always been one of my goals. I know there is a lot to learn, so I want to stay focused, work hard and show my best whenever I get the chance.”

Buruj Football Club and Buruj Sports Academy believe international exposure can play a significant role in the development of young footballers, allowing them to experience different coaching philosophies, tactical approaches and football cultures.

The academy’s development philosophy also places emphasis on education and personal development, ensuring that young players are prepared not only for possible professional careers but also for life beyond football.

The UK trip therefore represents another stage in a broader development pathway designed to help Nigerian youngsters build confidence, experience and international connections.

For Raheem, Fawas and Jacob, the message is simple: the opportunity has arrived, and now it is time to make it count.

From Nigeria to the United Kingdom, another chapter begins—with bigger dreams ahead.

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