Fiverr Switches To AI Structure And Lays Off 30% Of Workforce - 1

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Fiverr Switches To AI Structure And Lays Off 30% Of Workforce

  • Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

The Israel-based platform Fiverr announced on Monday that it is laying off 250 employees, around 30% of its workforce. The company’s CEO, Micha Kaufman, revealed a restructuring plan to make Fiverr an AI-first company.

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

  • Fiverr announced that it is laying off 250 employees, around 30% of its workforce.
  • The company’s CEO, Micha Kaufman, revealed a restructuring plan to make Fiverr an AI-first company.
  • Kaufman explained the new business plan will require a new mindset, including “going back to startup mode.”

According to Reuters , the company had 762 employees in December 2024, and the cuts will affect positions that do not align with its new AI-focused strategy. Fiverr expects to automate systems and integrate advanced technology into its platform.

In a letter to employees, Kaufman explained that the company needs to stay “on top of the game” by adopting AI and adapting quickly to the changes the technology brings to society and business. The new business structure will align the demands of AI and require a different mindset, including “going back to startup mode.”

“Today, we are launching such a transformation for Fiverr, to turn Fiverr into an AI-first company that’s leaner, faster, with a modern AI-focused tech infrastructure, a smaller team, each with substantially greater productivity, and far fewer management layers,” wrote Kaufman. “This transformation requires a painful reset, and as we make it, we will be parting ways with approximately 250 team members across the different departments, resulting in a smaller and flatter organization.”

Kaufman described the decision as one of the most difficult ones he has ever made, but didn’t provide details on which job positions will be affected. He highlighted how AI has already optimized and accelerated processes in multiple projects.

“We’ve witnessed firsthand how AI can automate and streamline processes, liberate humans from manual and tedious tasks, and unlock capabilities that were historically not possible or too expensive,” added Kaufman. “As we evaluate what has been done and what can be done, we believe we don’t need as many people to operate the existing business.”

Fiverr is following the footsteps of other companies that have shifted to an AI-first approach in recent months. Last year, in November, Zoom rebranded as an AI-first work platform , changing also its name to Zoom Communications Inc. In April, Duolingo announced it had officially become an AI-first company and that it would gradually replace contractors.

Malicious Google Calendar Invites Can Make ChatGPT Leak Your Emails - 2

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Malicious Google Calendar Invites Can Make ChatGPT Leak Your Emails

  • Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

A security researcher reported how a fake Google Calendar invitation can steal private email content from ChatGPT when Gmail connectors are enabled.

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

  • Attack works if Gmail and Calendar connectors are enabled in ChatGPT.
  • Automatic Google connectors allow ChatGPT to access data without explicit prompts.
  • Indirect prompt injection hides malicious instructions inside calendar event text.

Eito Miyamura explained the attack method on X, showing how hackers use calendar invites with hidden instructions, then waits for the victim to ask ChatGPT to perform a task, as first reported by Tom’s Hardware .

The attacker embeds malicious commands in the event, which ChatGPT then executes automatically following the malicious instructions. “All you need? The victim’s email address,” Miyamura claims.

We got ChatGPT to leak your private email data 💀💀 All you need? The victim’s email address. ⛓️💥🚩📧 On Wednesday, @OpenAI added full support for MCP (Model Context Protocol) tools in ChatGPT. Allowing ChatGPT to connect and read your Gmail, Calendar, Sharepoint, Notion,… pic.twitter.com/E5VuhZp2u2 — Eito Miyamura | 🇯🇵🇬🇧 (@Eito_Miyamura) September 12, 2025

Tom’s Hardware notes that in mid-August, OpenAI added native Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Contacts connectors to ChatGPT. After granting permission, the assistant has automatic access to the users’ Google account data. This means even a casual question like “What’s on my calendar today?” can access your calendar.

The help center of OpenAI explains that these connectors activate automatic data access only when enabled, though you can turn it off in settings to select sources manually.

Tom’s Hardware explains that the Model Context Protocol enables developers to create custom connectors, however OpenAI does not monitor these connections. Miyamura highlights this point as this attack depends on a new overall ecosystem.

The attack method, called indirect prompt injection, conceals harmful commands inside authorized data access points, which in this case are text embedded in calendar events. Similar attacks were reported in August, showing how compromised invites could steer Google’s Gemini AI and even control smart-home devices .

The system remains inactive unless Gmail and Calendar services are linked inside ChatGPT. Users who want to minimize risks should disconnect their sources and turn off automatic data access.

Experts advise changing Google Calendar’s “Automatically add invitations” setting so only invites from known contacts appear and hiding declined events.