In a major digital milestone, WhatsApp has now surpassed 3 billion monthly active users, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg confirmed during the company’s Q1 earnings call on Wednesday.

This achievement cements WhatsApp’s place among the world’s most widely used apps — joining Facebook as one of the few platforms to reach the 3 billion user mark. Notably, WhatsApp remains free of ads and has never charged users for access, making its growth even more remarkable.

From a Startup to a Global Communication Giant

WhatsApp was founded in 2009 and was acquired by Facebook (now Meta) in 2014 for a whopping $19 billion. Since then, its user base has steadily grown, hitting 2 billion monthly users in 2020 and now reaching a new high of 3 billion in 2024.

While the app began as a simple, ad-free messaging platform, it has evolved into one of Meta’s most valuable assets, particularly as the tech giant pivots toward artificial intelligence.

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WhatsApp and Meta’s AI Push

During the earnings call, Meta CFO Susan Li emphasized WhatsApp’s growing role in Meta’s AI strategy. She said WhatsApp is now the strongest channel for Meta AI usage among all of the company’s platforms — including Instagram and Facebook.

“Most WhatsApp users who interact with Meta AI are doing so in one-on-one chats,” Li said, highlighting the app’s personal and direct engagement model.

Zuckerberg added that while WhatsApp offers a natural entry point for AI features globally, Meta faces challenges in the U.S. market, where users still largely rely on built-in messaging apps like iMessage and SMS. To address this, Meta recently launched the standalone Meta AI app, aimed at becoming a key player in the American AI and messaging space.

“We hope to become the leader over time in the U.S. messaging market,” Zuckerberg said. “But we’re in a different position there than we are in most of the rest of the world on WhatsApp.”

WhatsApp Business: Fueling Revenue Growth

Beyond personal messaging, WhatsApp is also powering Meta’s business ambitions. The WhatsApp Business platform, which enables companies to connect with customers via automated chats and customer service tools, played a significant role in Meta’s recent revenue.

According to the company, WhatsApp Business helped drive a large portion of the $510 million generated by Meta’s family of apps last quarter.

Looking ahead, Meta is testing AI-powered tools for WhatsApp Business, including a new AI agent management dashboard. This feature will allow businesses to train Meta’s AI using their own content — such as website information, WhatsApp profiles, Instagram pages, and Facebook data.

The company is also exploring ways to enable businesses to deploy Meta’s AI chatbot directly within customer conversations on WhatsApp, which could dramatically change how businesses offer support and drive sales.

What This Means for Users and Businesses

With 3 billion users now actively using WhatsApp every month, the platform’s influence in both personal and professional communication is undeniable. Meta’s efforts to integrate AI features and expand WhatsApp Business tools indicate that the app is not just a messaging service anymore — it’s becoming a major hub for digital interaction, commerce, and AI-driven experiences.

As Meta continues its push into artificial intelligence, WhatsApp’s massive global reach may very well be the foundation on which the company builds its next generation of digital products.

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In a significant new development, Apple has begun notifying users across 100 countries that they may have been targeted by government-grade spyware. According to the individuals who received the alerts, Apple believes these attacks were carried out by what it calls “mercenary spyware” — surveillance software often developed by private companies and sold to governments.

So far, only two recipients of the warning have come forward publicly.

Who Was Targeted?

One of them is Italian journalist Ciro Pellegrino, who works with the digital news outlet Fanpage. In an article published Tuesday, Pellegrino said he received both an email and a text message from Apple. The message informed him that his iPhone may have been compromised by a targeted spyware attack.

“Today’s notification is being sent to affected users in 100 countries,” the alert read, according to Pellegrino. He noted in his article: “Did this really happen? Yes, it is not a joke.”

The second known recipient of Apple’s notification is Eva Vlaardingerbroek, a Dutch right-wing activist. On Wednesday, she posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) that included a screenshot of the warning she received.

“Apple detected a targeted mercenary spyware attack against your iPhone,” the message read. “This attack is likely targeting you specifically because of who you are or what you do. Although it’s never possible to achieve absolute certainty when detecting such attacks, Apple has high confidence in this warning — please take it seriously.”

Reacting to the message, Vlaardingerbroek called it “an attempt to intimidate me, an attempt to silence me, obviously.”

Neither Pellegrino nor Vlaardingerbroek responded to media requests for further comment.

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Apple’s Track Record With Spyware Warnings

This isn’t the first time Apple has warned users about targeted spyware. The company periodically sends out these types of alerts when it detects high-risk attacks, often advising affected users to connect with digital security organizations such as Citizen Lab or Access Now for support and investigation.

In fact, last year Apple issued two similar warnings affecting users in multiple countries. However, the company rarely names the spyware involved or the attackers behind it.

So far, Apple has not made a public statement regarding this most recent wave of alerts.

A Growing Pattern of Attacks in Italy

This incident marks the second time this year that an Italian journalist has been targeted with mercenary spyware. Back in February, WhatsApp notified Fanpage journalist Francesco Cancellato, a colleague of Pellegrino, that his device had also been attacked.

According to WhatsApp, the spyware in that case was developed by Paragon Solutions, an Israeli company that sells surveillance tools to governments. Digital watchdog Citizen Lab, which has investigated spyware abuse for over a decade, confirmed it was investigating the attack.

Following Cancellato’s revelation, two other individuals — employees of Mediterranea Saving Humans, a humanitarian organization focused on rescuing migrants — also came forward claiming they had been targeted by the same spyware.

Reports suggest that Paragon has since severed ties with its Italian government client following backlash over the surveillance of journalists and aid workers.

What’s Next?

While the exact nature of the spyware involved in Apple’s latest notifications remains unclear, the warnings add to growing concerns about the misuse of commercial surveillance tools. Human rights advocates have repeatedly called for stricter regulation and transparency around how these tools are sold and used — especially when they target journalists, activists, and civil society members.

With Apple sending alerts across 100 countries, this may only be the tip of the iceberg.

As more affected individuals come forward and further details emerge, this story is likely to develop quickly. We’ll continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as they become available.

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2025 Tech Layoffs – The wave of tech layoffs continues to surge in 2025, as companies across the globe tighten budgets, restructure teams, and reimagine their future workforce needs in the age of AI and automation.

Last year, over 150,000 tech workers lost their jobs across 549 companies, according to Layoffs.fyi. And this year, we’re already seeing significant job cuts — with more than 22,000 layoffs reported so far. February alone accounted for a massive 16,000+ job losses, a grim reminder that even the most innovative sectors aren’t immune to economic pressure and rapid change.

This live tracker provides a comprehensive and up-to-date list of tech layoffs in 2025. From global giants like Google and Intel to Indian startups like Cars24 and Zopper, the impact is widespread. Whether it’s cost-cutting, restructuring, or pausing IPO plans, each move tells a story of changing priorities and economic caution.

April 2025 Layoffs

Expedia

Laid off about 3% of its workforce, mostly from product and technology roles. This comes after hundreds were cut from the marketing team in March.

Cars24

Cut around 200 employees in tech and product. The Indian used-car platform has raised $450M since 2023 and is now focusing on profitability.

Meta

Let go of 100+ employees in its Reality Labs division, affecting teams working on VR experiences for Quest and hardware operations.

Intel

Announced a massive layoff of over 21,000 employees — roughly 20% of its workforce — ahead of its Q1 earnings call under new CEO Lip-Bu Tan.

GM

Laid off 200 workers at its Michigan EV factory amid the slowdown in electric vehicle demand.

Zopper

Let go of 100 employees this year, with 50+ job cuts just last week. The Indian insurtech firm has raised $125M to date.

Turo

Reduced its workforce by 150 positions after delaying its IPO. The move is aimed at ensuring long-term growth amid economic uncertainty.

GupShup

Fired about 200 employees — its second round of layoffs in five months. The conversational AI firm aims to boost efficiency.

Forto

Eliminated 200 roles — around one-third of its staff. The German logistics startup mainly reduced its sales team.

Wicresoft

Ended operations in China, laying off 2,000 workers. This follows Microsoft’s decision to stop outsourcing support to its joint venture amid trade tensions.

Five9

Cut 123 jobs (4% of staff) to focus on AI and strategic growth areas.

Google

Laid off hundreds from its platforms and devices division, including Android, Pixel, and Chrome teams.

Microsoft

Is reportedly planning more layoffs by May, especially middle managers and non-technical roles, aiming to increase coder-to-PM ratios.

Automattic

The company behind WordPress.com is cutting 16% of its staff (270+ employees), as part of a company-wide restructure.

Canva

Laid off 10–12 technical writers, months after encouraging teams to adopt generative AI tools.

March 2025 Layoffs

Northvolt

Fired 2,800 employees — over 60% of its total workforce — after filing for bankruptcy.

Block (formerly Square)

Cut 931 jobs (8%). CEO Jack Dorsey clarified the layoffs weren’t AI-driven, but aimed at internal restructuring.

Brightcove

Let go of 198 U.S.-based employees — nearly two-thirds of its domestic workforce — after being acquired by Bending Spoons.

Acxiom

Laid off 130 workers (3.5% of total) following a proposed merger of its parent company, IPG, with Omnicom.

Sequoia Capital

Closed its Washington D.C. office, laying off three employees in a strategic shift away from policy engagement.

Siemens

Announced 5,600 global job cuts in its EV and automation segments to remain competitive.

HelloFresh

Laid off 273 employees, closing a Texas distribution center to consolidate operations.

Otorio

Cut over 50% of its workforce post-acquisition by Armis, downsizing to streamline operations.

ActiveFence & D-ID

Both cybersecurity startups announced layoffs — 7% and 25% of their staff respectively — during restructuring.

NASA

Closed multiple offices including its Office of Technology and DEI branch amid federal restructuring, linked loosely to political shifts.

Wayfair

Cut 340 jobs in its tech division as it shifts business priorities.

HPE, TikTok, Ola Electric, LiveRamp, Rec Room

All announced notable job cuts ranging from 300 to 2,500 roles, either due to market challenges or internal streamlining.

February 2025 Layoffs

HP

Cutting up to 2,000 jobs to save $300M as part of its “Future Now” plan.

Grubhub

Laid off 500 employees following its $650M sale to Wonder Group.

Autodesk

Let go of 1,350 employees (9%) amid GTM strategy changes.

Google

Announced a new voluntary exit program and reorganized its People Ops and Cloud divisions.

Starbucks

Slashed 1,100 tech jobs as it shifts to outsourcing some IT functions.

Blue Origin

Cut 1,000+ roles, mainly in engineering, amid shifting project priorities.

Salesforce

Laid off 1,000+ employees, even as it aggressively hires for AI initiatives.

Workday

Cut 1,750 jobs (8.5%), citing a need to stay lean in the current environment.

Unity, JustWorks, Sonos, Sprinklr, Okta, Cruise

All these companies made headlines for letting go of hundreds to thousands of workers due to underperformance or major pivots.

January 2025 Layoffs

Amazon, Stripe, Meta, Wayfair

Each kicked off the year with major job cuts, ranging from communications teams to country-wide operations (like Wayfair’s exit from Germany).

Cushion, Pandion, Pocket FM, SolarEdge

Startups both big and small announced shutdowns or significant headcount reductions as investor sentiment tightens and costs rise.

Why Are These Layoffs Happening?

From global inflation and declining ad revenues to AI-driven restructuring and failed IPOs, the causes are varied but interconnected. Many firms are prioritizing profitability, automation, and long-term sustainability over aggressive growth.

While innovation continues at breakneck speed, the human cost behind that progress remains a critical story — one that deserves tracking, analysis, and empathy.

Stay updated with this evolving list — we’ll continue to track the latest layoffs and what they mean for the future of tech, jobs, and startups.

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