Welcome to Your Job Interview. Your Interviewer Is A.I.
Instead, a virtual artificial intelligence recruiter named Alex sent her a text message to schedule the interview. And when Ms. Dunn got on the phone at the appointed time for the meeting, Alex was waiting to talk to her.
'Are you a human?' Ms. Dunn asked.
'No, I'm not a human,' Alex replied. 'But I'm here to make the interview process smoother.'
For the next 20 minutes, Ms. Dunn, a marketing professional in San Antonio, answered Alex's questions about her qualifications — though Alex could not answer most of her questions about the job. Even though Alex had a friendly tone, the conversation 'felt hollow,' Ms. Dunn said. In the end, she hung up before finishing the interview.
You might have thought artificial intelligence was coming for your job. First it's coming for your job interviewer.
Job seekers across the country are starting to encounter faceless voices and avatars backed by A.I. in their interviews. These autonomous interviewers are part of a wave of artificial intelligence known as 'agentic A.I.,' where A.I. agents are directed to act on their own to generate real-time conversations and build on responses.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
6 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Icahn Enterprises Boosts Holdings While Maintaining High Yield Amid Losses
Icahn Enterprises L.P. (NASDAQ:IEP) is one of the . Following significant losses in net income and revenue in Q1 2025, the company has increased its stake in four holdings. A forklift stocking shelves with newly manufactured food packaging products. Florida-based company, Icahn Enterprises L.P. (NASDAQ:IEP) is a diversified holding company operating across energy, automotive, food packaging, metals, real estate, home fashion, pharmaceuticals, and investment sectors. Functioning as a master limited partnership, the company is controlled by Carl Icahn, a leading American businessman and investor. In its Q1 earnings call, released on May 7, 2025, the company reported a few significant losses. Specifically, the revenue declined from $2.5 billion in Q1 2024 to $1.9 billion in Q1 2025. Net loss, on the other hand, increased from $38 million in the same quarter of the previous year to $422 million in the first quarter of the current year, due to negative performance in funds. Later, in an SEC filing, the company disclosed its holdings as of March 31, 2025. Based on the disclosure, the company has increased its stake in four holdings, including by size of previous position, CVR Energy, JetBlue, Illumina, and CVR Partners. The 3% increase in CVR Energy's share price, which contributed to $80 million increase from the previous quarter, indicates that Icahn Enterprises L.P. (NASDAQ:IEP) has made good investments. The company offers a significantly high dividend yield of 24.88%, while having gained a Buy rating from analysts, turning Icahn Enterprises L.P. (NASDAQ:IEP) into one of the best MLP dividend stocks. While we acknowledge the potential of IEP as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: and 10 Dividend Bargains Trading Below Insiders' Prices Disclosure. None. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
10 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Better Quantum Computing Stock: D-Wave Quantum vs. IonQ
Quantum computing is in its early stages, and two promising companies in the field are D-Wave and IonQ. D-Wave generated a jaw-dropping 509% year-over-year increase in first-quarter sales to $15 million. IonQ is constructing a quantum computer network, and to that end, has announced a $1 billion equity offering. 10 stocks we like better than IonQ › Just as the internet transformed society, quantum computers hold a similar promise. These groundbreaking machines harness quantum physics to perform complex calculations in minutes that would take today's supercomputers centuries. However, today's quantum computers are error-prone and difficult to scale. The first businesses to construct devices capable of widespread use could revolutionize whole industries. For that reason, quantum computer companies D-Wave Quantum (NYSE: QBTS) and IonQ (NYSE: IONQ) present intriguing investment opportunities. But is D-Wave or IonQ the superior investment in this nascent sector? An examination of both can help you arrive at an answer. D-Wave shares have made an impressive run in 2025. The stock is up over 90% this year, hitting a 52-week high of $19.77 in May. Its shares took off because of a massive 509% year-over-year jump in first-quarter revenue, hitting $15 million. To put that in perspective, the Q1 sum alone was far more than D-Wave's total sales of $8.8 million for all of 2024. The stupendous revenue growth was due to D-Wave's first sale of its proprietary Advantage quantum machine. In years past, the bulk of its revenue came from selling quantum computing as a service (QCaaS), in which customers pay a fee for remote access to the company's quantum capabilities through the cloud. Thanks to its exceptional revenue, D-Wave's Q1 operating loss improved to $11.3 million from $17.5 million in 2024. The company also boasted a solid balance sheet. First-quarter total assets were $325.6 million with a whopping $304.3 million of that in cash. First-quarter liabilities totaled $118.2 million. D-Wave management stated that its Q1 cash balance is sufficient to sustain the business until it becomes profitable. Since then, the company further boosted its cash reserves to approximately $815 million through an equity offering. Some of the funds are earmarked for acquisitions. IonQ's 2025 stock performance has been more muted than D-Wave's. Its shares are up 9% through July 9. A contributing factor is IonQ's lackluster Q1 results. Revenue reached $7.6 million, which was flat compared to 2024. Worse, while revenue failed to grow, expenses certainly did. The company's Q1 operating loss of $75.7 million was a significant increase over the prior year's loss of $52.9 million. That said, the company has a strong balance sheet. Total Q1 assets were $850.1 million versus total liabilities of just $85 million. On top of that, IonQ announced a $1 billion equity offering on July 7, which should further shore up its finances. IonQ has been on a tear acquiring businesses over the past year as it attempts to build a quantum computing network. Considering the internet exists because of computer networking, IonQ's approach could be a game changer. But the strategy is expensive, since it must assemble many capabilities to make a viable quantum network. For instance, these networks cannot extend far today, so IonQ acquired Lightsynq Technologies, which is working on tech to expand the range quantum devices can be networked. While IonQ seeks to build a quantum network, D-Wave claims to be the sole provider of both the prevailing quantum gate technology and quantum annealing, a technique for finding optimal solutions among numerous possibilities. It's too early to tell whether IonQ or D-Wave's approach will win out over the long run, and that's the challenge in choosing between these two. Either company could become a leader in the field, or it could be a much larger competitor, such as Microsoft, which has developed its own quantum technology called topological qubits. In addition, D-Wave's sizable Q1 result may be a feat that it won't repeat anytime soon. Its sale of an Advantage system is a departure from the usual QCaaS and professional services revenue, which provided nearly all its income over the past two years. As for IonQ, it may have experienced an underwhelming Q1, but it exited 2024 with 95% year-over-year revenue growth to $43.1 million. It also expects 2025 sales to reach between $75 million and $95 million, which would represent a substantial jump up from 2024. Another consideration is the share price valuation of these companies, which can be assessed with the price-to-sales (P/S) ratio. The chart below shows that the P/S multiples for D-Wave and IonQ are not only higher than a year ago, but considerably greater than Microsoft's. This suggests shares of D-Wave and IonQ are overpriced. Considering their sky-high valuations and the uncertainty surrounding which quantum computing technology will eventually dominate, the optimal strategy is to wait for Q2 earnings before deciding to buy shares in either company. This lets you see whether D-Wave's Q1 results are a one-off, and if IonQ can bounce back from tepid Q1 sales to achieve its projected year-over-year growth for 2025. Before you buy stock in IonQ, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and IonQ wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $671,477!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,010,880!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,047% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 180% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 7, 2025 Robert Izquierdo has positions in IonQ and Microsoft. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Microsoft. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Better Quantum Computing Stock: D-Wave Quantum vs. IonQ was originally published by The Motley Fool
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
2 Top Tech Stocks to Buy Before they Soar in the Second Half
Wall Street shook off the wave of trade war and tariff updates and pushed the Nasdaq to new all-time highs on Wednesday. The upbeat day might signal that investors are learning lessons from the initial trade war fears, betting that Trump and his administration likely do not want to crush the U.S. economy or the stock market. Investors could still take profits on high-flying tech stocks heading into Q2 earnings season. Thankfully, the bulls should remain in charge as long as AI and tech-boosted earnings growth holds up. Plus, the Fed is still projected to cut interest rates again in 2025. Now might be a good time for investors to start buying tech stocks that are trading well below their all-time highs before they possibly surge in July and beyond. Lumentum LITE designs and manufactures optical and photonic technologies for high-speed telecommunications, data centers, and advanced manufacturing. LITE provides components, such as transceivers and lasers for fiber-optic networks, supporting the rapid growth of artificial intelligence, cloud computing, 5G connectivity, and beyond. Its industrial lasers are used in precision manufacturing, such as cutting semiconductors and solar cells. Lumentum also develops 3D sensing laser diodes for applications like facial recognition in smartphones and autonomous vehicle sensors. Despite this backdrop, Lumentum stock only climbed 10% in the past five years while the Tech sector soared 110%. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Lumentum's revenue growth plateaued after 2019, driven by multiple headwinds. LITE announced in May 2019 that it had discontinued all shipments to Huawei after the U.S. government forced tech companies to stop supplying the Chinese smartphone maker due to national security concerns. Wall Street also grew worried about Lumentum's overreliance on Apple for its growth in a slowing iPhone market. On top of that, Covid-based inventory corrections, macroeconomic pressures such as inflation, and trade restrictions dragged LITE down over the past several years. Thankfully for investors, Lumentum is turning the corner, boosted by surging AI demand. Lumentum crushed our EPS estimate by an average of 42% in the trailing four quarters, including a big beat-and-raise Q3 FY25 in early May. Its upbeat earnings revisions land LITE a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Lumentum's next-generation optics are helping create energy-efficient AI networks, which is critical in the power-hungry AI space. New CEO Michael Hurlston, who took over in February, said LITE's innovations are 'driving transformative power efficiencies across cloud, AI, and long-haul networks, making us an essential partner in this next era of connectivity.' LITE is projected to grow its revenue by 20% in FY25 and 33% next year to surge from $1.36 billion in FY24 to $2.17 billion in FY26, crushing its previous peaks. Better yet, the tech innovator is projected to double its adjusted EPS in FY25 (+95%) and FY26 (+111%) to reach $4.16 a share. Some of Lumentum's growth is driven by its late-2023 acquisition of Cloud Light Technology. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Lumentum shares have kept pace with Tech over the past decade despite its huge underperformance over the last five years. The stock is neck and neck with Tech in 2025 and up 60% in the past year to crush its sector's 8% run. LITE completed a long-term golden cross, where its 50-week moving average overtook its 200-week, in May. A strong earnings report could help it finally break out above its 2021 peaks after several failed attempts. Lumentum stock also trades at a 40% discount to Tech on the price/earnings to growth ratio front. Customer relationship management standout HubSpot HUBS posted blockbuster growth over the last decade as companies big and small race to digitalize every pocket of their businesses. HUBS stock has roughly tripled the Tech sector during that stretch, fueled by massive growth that took it from $182 million in 2015 revenue to $2.6 billion last year. Despite outrunning Tech in the last three and five-year stretches, HUBS trades 30% below its highs even as the Tech sector ripped to fresh records to close the first half. HubSpot stock cooled on the back of slowing sales growth compared to its days of 30% to 50% expansion and its inability to consistently post profits. Yet, HubSpot could be ready to break out and return to all-time highs given its robust adjusted earnings and revenue growth outlook. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research HubSpot's solutions are designed to help its clients attract customers, build relationships, and keep them happy. The business software company launched its Breeze artificial intelligence platform last year, integrating HubSpot's AI tools throughout its entire CRM platform. Its AI-powered customer platform helps businesses grow by managing marketing, sales, customer service, content, operations, and beyond more efficiently than ever before. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company is projected to expand its revenue by roughly 16% in 2025 and 2026 to reach $3.51 billion, adding nearly $1 billion to its top line vs. 2024. It is expected to grow its adjusted earnings by 15% and 21%, respectively. HUBS has beaten our quarterly earnings estimates for five years in a row, and its recent upward earnings revisions earn it a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). HubSpot trades 30% below its 2021 highs after getting firmly rejected at those levels in February. HUBS stock is trading right near its 21-day moving average, and it's held its ground at or near its long-term 200-week moving average several times in the past year. The 200-week moving average was one of Warren Buffett's longtime right-hand man, Charlie Munger's, favorite technical indicators for buying long-term stocks. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research It might be worth taking a chance on HubSpot for near-term upside to its peaks and long-term AI-boosted growth. Plus, the company's robust balance sheet is helping it buy back stock. Wall Street is also still very high on the stock, with 26 of the 33 brokerage recommendations Zacks has at 'Strong Buys.' Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report HubSpot, Inc. (HUBS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Lumentum Holdings Inc. (LITE) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research
