Nvidia’s earnings short of blowout level

Nvidia, the chipmaker at the center of an AI spending boom, gave solid quarterly results and a bullish revenue forecast for the current period, even if the numbers didn’t reach the blowout level that some investors were banking on.

Sales will be about $43 billion in the fiscal first quarter, which runs through April, the company said Wednesday. Analysts had estimated $42.3 billion on average, with some projections ranging as high as $48 billion. Gross profit margins also will be a bit short of projections.

The outlook comes at a shaky time for the AI industry. Nvidia shares have dipped this year on concerns that data center operators will slow spending. Chinese startup DeepSeek also sparked fears that chatbots can be developed on the cheap, potentially reducing the need for Nvidia’s powerful chips for AI.

Nvidia shares fell less than 1% in extended trading late Wednesday after the report was released. The stock had been down 2.2% this year, following stratospheric gains in 2023 and 2024 that turned Nvidia into the world’s most valuable chipmaker.

Workers cite growing layoff fear in survey; One-third in U.S. concerned

Almost one-third of U.S. workers are concerned about getting laid off by their employers, a share that’s risen significantly over the past six months, according to a new Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia survey.

Among younger and older cohorts — employees age 18 to 35 and those age 56 to 65 — concern about losing jobs was the highest in at least two years, the Philly Fed’s January 2025 Labor, Income, Finances, and Expectations Survey published Wednesday shows. Some 30% of workers said they were concerned about their employer’s ability to stay in business.

The survey points to other stresses for younger Americans too. The share of respondents in the 18-35 group who expressed worry about making ends meet over the next six months rose to 40% in January, from 36% last July, and there was a similar rise in longer-term concerns.

Meanwhile, higher income adults are feeling better about the outlook since President Donald Trump’s election victory. In October, some 28% of respondents making $150,000 or more were concerned about making ends meet in 7–12 months, but that fell to 21% in the latest survey.

AI-powered Alexa promises to be ‘best friend’ — for a monthly fee

Amazon on Wednesday unveiled a generative-AI infused Alexa that it says will allow the popular voice assistant to have more personality, check a user’s tone and even plan romantic dates.

But unlike before, when Alexa was offered for free on any Alexa-enabled devices, customers will have to pay Amazon a monthly fee of $19.99 for the revamped voice assistant, which it calls Alexa+. However, the generative-AI powered Alexa will be free for Prime members, who pay the company a monthly or annual fee for free delivery and other perks.

The company says Alexa+ is able to have conversations with a more natural, humanlike flow and can learn more about a user — such as dietary preferences or allergies — the more it’s used.

“I’m not just an assistant; I’m your new best friend in the digital world,” Alexa+ said during an onstage demo on Wednesday.

Other things the voice assistant can now do: create study plans, text a babysitter and call an Uber ride for a friend.

Compiled from Bloomberg and Associated Press reports.