Every day might be Take Your AI to Work Day if you’re among the three out of four knowledge workers who use generative AI tech at their job—with or without a boss’s go-ahead.

The stat comes from new research from Microsoft and LinkedIn, which found that an overwhelming number of those AI-savvy workers (78%) are using the tech without the permission or knowledge of their employers. A little over half of these users were reluctant to admit they use AI for important tasks and worry it makes them look replaceable.

This year’s Microsoft Work Trend Index was an effort to understand how chatbots have begun to seep into the workplace. It comes as the tech giant pushes its own AI-powered Copilot software across its productivity suite and as a standalone product. Microsoft isn’t alone; enterprise companies like Salesforce, SAP, and Adobe have introduced all-purpose AI tools that aim to expedite day-to-day office chores.

A pressure valve? But for all the new enterprise AI products gunning for a corporate contract, AI adoption is more often coming from individual employees, potentially because they are struggling under the weight of mounting workloads, according to Microsoft Senior Director of Research Alexia Cambon. Meanwhile, many leaders are struggling to understand how to implement AI and could be lacking a guiding vision, she said.

“We know from prior reports [that] employees are incredibly overwhelmed with the pace and volume of work. We know that the work environment has evolved very quickly in a short span of time and essentially has outpaced employees’ ability to keep up with it,” Cambon told Tech Brew. “They’re really turning to those tools for relief within that very high-pressure work environment.”

However, unsanctioned use could open companies up to security dangers if workers drop proprietary data or information into chatbots.

Keep reading here.—PK

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Congress’s massive investment in the domestic semiconductor industry is expected to pay off over the next decade.

That’s according to a report the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) and the Boston Consulting Group released Wednesday, which found that the US is poised to significantly grow its share of chip manufacturing both at home and abroad.

The country’s fabrication capacity will jump 203% from 2022 to 2032, SIA and BCG estimated. The country is also on track to expand its share of international manufacturing capacity from its current 10% to 14% by 2032.

The study notes that the projected growth is facilitated by the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, which allocated $39 billion in domestic manufacturing incentives and $11 billion for chip research and development. The legislation aimed to decrease American dependence on geopolitical rivals like China that supply crucial tech components.

“Effective policies, such as the CHIPS and Science Act, are spurring more investments in the US semiconductor industry. These investments will help America grow its share of global semiconductor production and innovation, furthering economic growth and technological competitiveness,” SIA board chair Rich Templeton said in a statement. “Continued and expanded government-industry collaboration will help ensure we build on this momentum and continue our next steps forward.”

The study came two days after the Biden administration announced up to $285 million in funding through the act for the development of semiconductor digital twins, a technology that creates virtual replicas of physical objects.—KG

The EV market shakeout continues as longtime segment leader Tesla navigates its most challenging period in years and legacy automakers churn out profits from ICE vehicles.

Tesla’s recent woes were in focus in the EV maker’s Q1 earnings report. Tesla reported $1.1 billion in net income, down 55% YoY, on revenue of $21.3 billion. The company’s Q1 profits hit their lowest point since 2021, the Wall Street Journal reported. Tesla’s stock is down more than 30% year to date.

In a quarterly update, Tesla acknowledged that it “experienced numerous challenges in Q1,” including Red Sea trade disruptions and ramping up production of the updated Model 3.

“Global EV sales continue to be under pressure as many carmakers prioritize hybrids over EVs,” Tesla said in the report.

Still, some analysts were pleased to hear CEO Elon Musk’s assurances that Tesla is forging ahead with plans for a more affordable EV rather than focusing solely on robotaxis.

Meanwhile, Ford and GM reported profits on the strengths of their ICE vehicle businesses, even as they continue to lose money on EVs.

Keep reading here.—JG

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Usually, we write about the business of tech. Here, we highlight the *tech* of tech.

Mother of all gifts: Not that it’s possible to miss the fact that Mother’s Day is upon us—what with every company on the planet sending you an email offering 20% off to buy your mother (or other maternal figure) anything and everything, from air purifiers and smart picture frames to perfume and small kitchen appliances—but friendly reminder that Sunday is Mother’s Day. Maybe she wants a physical object, in which case, click here or here or here. But maybe all she wants is to sit alone and not hear, “Mom!” every 35 seconds, which might not be easy, but it is free.

Turn out the lights: What happens if the company that makes your smart-home devices ceases to exist? The Verge asked just that of the CEO of Brilliant, which makes smart-home controllers and light switches—but has run out of cash to keep operating. “If Brilliant’s servers go dark, anyone who has one of these $400 smart switches wired into their walls will lose a significant amount of functionality,” The Verge wrote.

Not to be…anti-tech, but locks and light switches just might be ain’t-broke-don’t-fix-it sort of technologies.