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    Panasonic to cut 4% of its workforce as part of restructuring

    Mohammed Fahad
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    Panasonic to cut 4% of its workforce as part of restructuring
    • To focus on ongoing management reforms, exit from unprofitable business segments, and the establishment of a more agile business model responsive to market changes.
    • By becoming a leaner and more adaptive enterprise, Panasonic aims to strengthen its competitive position and return to sustained profitability in an increasingly complex global market.
    • Panasonic plans to capitalise on the global shift towards electrification and sustainable transportation, sectors that are expected to expand significantly in the coming years.

    Panasonic’s announcement to reduce its global workforce by 10,000 employees, evenly split between Japan and overseas, signifies a strategic move towards creating a more streamlined and efficient organisation.

    With a current workforce of approximately 230,000, this reduction of about four per cent underlines the company’s commitment to restructuring amid challenging economic conditions and evolving market demands.

    The planned job cuts involve a combination of early retirement offers in Japan and the closure or consolidation of several operational units. This approach reflects Panasonic’s intention to optimise its resources and focus on leaner management practices.

    As a diversified manufacturer, Panasonic’s portfolio spans traditional home appliances such as washing machines and refrigerators, as well as advanced technological products including solar panels, delivery robots, facial recognition systems, hydrogen fuel cells, and electric vehicle (EV) batteries used by Tesla.

    This broad product range, while representing varied revenue streams, also demands adaptability in a rapidly changing global economic environment.

    Long-term turnaround strategy

    The company’s financial results for the fiscal year ending in March revealed a 17.5 per cent decline in profit, down to 366 billion yen ($2.5billion) from the previous year’s 443 billion yen.

    Similarly, sales experienced a modest decrease of 0.5 per cent, totaling 8.46 trillion yen ($58 billion). These figures were attributed to a slowdown in the global economy and reduced demand for electric vehicles, key markets for Panasonic’s cutting-edge technologies.

    However, the company noted stable sales within Japan, particularly in the air-conditioner and consumer electronics sectors, illustrating the resilience of its domestic business amidst global uncertainties.

    Despite these setbacks, Panasonic’s leadership remains focused on a long-term turnaround strategy. Chief Executive Yuki Kusumi expressed a heavy heart over the difficult decision to cut jobs but underscored its necessity for sustainable growth.

    Notably, the company’s financial challenges were not publicly attributed to external trade policies, such as tariffs implemented by the US administration, suggesting that internal business dynamics and broader market trends are the primary concerns.

    Growth strategy

    Looking ahead, Panasonic projects a significant improvement in profitability by the fiscal year ending March 2027, with an expected increase of at least 150 billion yen ($1 billion), and a further rise to 300 billion yen ($2.1 billion) by 2029.

    Achieving these targets hinges on ongoing management reforms, the exit from unprofitable business segments, and the establishment of a more agile business model responsive to market changes.

    Nevertheless, the path to recovery is gradual, with further profit declines anticipated in the current fiscal year, projected at 310 billion yen ($2.1billion) on sales of 7.8 trillion yen ($54 billion).

    A key element of Panasonic’s future growth strategy involves deepening its engagement in the electric vehicle sector.

    The company has announced new strategic partnerships with prominent Japanese automakers Mazda and Subaru to supply EV batteries, building upon its existing relationship with Tesla.

    These alliances position Panasonic to capitalise on the global shift towards electrification and sustainable transportation, sectors that are expected to expand significantly in the coming years.

    Nintendo expects to sell 15m units of Switch 2 in first fiscal year

    Mohammed Fahad
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    Nintendo expects to sell 15m units of Switch 2 in first fiscal year
    • Nintendo predicts a substantial turnaround in its financial performance, anticipating a 63% increase in turnover to 11.63b euros and a 7.6% rise in profit to 1.84b euros.

    Nintendo, the renowned Japanese gaming company, has announced the imminent release of its latest console, the Nintendo Switch 2, with ambitious sales targets and strong expectations for market performance.

    Officially unveiled at the beginning of April, the new console incorporates significant improvements designed to appeal to both new and existing gamers. These enhancements include a superior display, upgraded Joy Con controllers, increased storage capacity, and crucially, backward compatibility with original Nintendo Switch games.

    The ability to play previously purchased titles is a strategic feature that not only maintains consumer loyalty but also provides added value to existing Switch owners considering the upgrade.

    Despite the optimism surrounding the Switch 2, the sales performance of its predecessor, the original Nintendo Switch, has experienced a marked decline in recent times. In the most recent fiscal year, Nintendo sold 10.8 million units of the original console, a significant drop from the 15.7 million units sold the prior year.

    Game titles maintain strong popularity

    This downward trend has had a direct impact on the company’s financial results, with turnover decreasing by more than 30 per cent to 1,165 billion yen (approximately 7.1 billion euros) and profits falling 43 per cent to 278.8 billion yen (roughly 1.71 billion euros).

    The contraction can be attributed in part to the anticipation and forthcoming launch of the Switch 2, which has inevitably slowed consumer demand for the older model.

    During the previous fiscal year, Nintendo’s game titles maintained strong popularity. Notably, Super Mario Party Jamboree sold 7.48 million copies, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe reached 6.23 million, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom achieved 4.09 million, and Nintendo Switch Sports moved 3.16 million units.

    Charting a new chapter

    The figures underscore the enduring appeal of Nintendo’s first-party games and suggest that game sales will remain a critical revenue pillar, especially as the company ventures into the new generation of consoles.

    Nintendo’s forecast for the Switch 2 is decidedly optimistic. The company expects to sell 15 million units within its first fiscal year, which concludes March 31, 2026.

    Alongside hardware sales, Nintendo projects the sale of 45 million games for the new console, emphasising the integral role of software in driving profitability.

    Furthermore, Nintendo predicts a substantial turnaround in its financial performance, anticipating a 63 per cent increase in turnover to 1,900 billion yen (approximately 11.63 billion euros) and a 7.6 per cent rise in profit to 300 billion yen (about 1.84 billion euros).

    The Nintendo Switch 2 will be officially released on June 5th, with a retail price of 469 euros. As the gaming industry continues to evolve with emerging trends and intense competition, Nintendo’s strategic enhancements to its flagship console and its ability to leverage existing intellectual property will be essential to sustaining its market position.

    If the sales forecast proves accurate, the Switch 2 could mark a successful new chapter for Nintendo, reversing the recent decline and securing the company’s profitability and influence in the global gaming landscape.

    FaceAge: Revolutionising cancer prognosis through AI

    Ana Mary Joseph
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    FaceAge: Revolutionising cancer prognosis through AI
    • Researchers at Brigham discovered that cancer patients tend to look approximately five years older than their chronological age and that this advanced facial aging correlates with poorer overall survival outcomes.

    Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have ushered in transformative possibilities across the medical field, and one of the latest breakthroughs is the development of FaceAge, an innovative AI tool created by researchers at Mass General Brigham.

    The cutting-edge technology predicts cancer survival outcomes with greater accuracy than clinicians by analysing only a patient’s facial photograph.

    The implications of FaceAge extend far beyond traditional prognostic methods, offering a non-invasive, objective, and potentially more reliable approach to assessing biological age and aiding clinical decision-making.

    At its core, FaceAge estimates an individual’s biological or “FaceAge” based on facial features captured in a simple photograph.

    Greater predictive validity

    Researchers at Brigham discovered that cancer patients tend to look approximately five years older than their chronological age and that this advanced facial aging correlates with poorer overall survival outcomes.

    Notably, FaceAge outperformed clinicians in predicting short-term survival among patients receiving palliative radiotherapy. Whereas clinicians’ survival predictions based solely on patient photos were just marginally better than chance, the AI demonstrated significantly greater predictive validity, underscoring its clinical utility.

    The ability of FaceAge to derive meaningful prognostic information from facial images challenges conventional paradigms. Physicians have long recognised that a patient’s appearance may reflect underlying health, yet subjective biases and variability inevitably influence such assessments.

    Unlike humans, AI operates without these cognitive biases, enabling an objective analysis that integrates subtle cues imperceptible to the human eye. As co-senior author Dr. Hugo Aerts, director of Artificial Intelligence in Medicine at Brigham, remarked, a simple selfie can harbour clinically critical data that may inform treatment planning and improve patient outcomes.

    Furthermore, individuals whose perceived facial age is younger than their actual age tend to experience better responses to cancer therapies, demonstrating the prognostic relevance of this biomarker.

    Disease prognosis

    The study underpinning FaceAge, published in The Lancet Digital Health, involved training the algorithm on nearly 60,000 images of healthy individuals followed by validation in over 6,000 cancer patient photos from two medical centers.

    The rigorous methodology established a robust association between looking older—especially those appearing 85 years or older—and diminished survival, highlighting the potential of facial imaging as a biomarker of biological aging and disease prognosis.

    While additional research is necessary to refine the technology and explore its broader applications, FaceAge opens a promising avenue toward biomarker discovery using photographs.

    Co-senior author Dr. Ray Mak emphasised that, as chronic diseases are increasingly understood as manifestations of ageing, accurately predicting an individual’s ageing trajectory is paramount.

    Moreover, the potential applications of FaceAge extend beyond oncology, envisaging early detection systems across a variety of medical fields, provided these tools are integrated within rigorous ethical and regulatory frameworks.

    Malwarebytes to block malicious Google-sponsored ads on iOS devices

    Mohammed Fahad
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    Malwarebytes to block malicious Google-sponsored ads on iOS devices
    • Malwarebytes highlights a troubling trend in which malicious actors leverage the ubiquity and trust associated with Google ads to execute various forms of cyberattacks.
    • The ad-blocking feature is available as part of a paid subscription service that begins after an initial seven-day free trial.

    Malwarebytes announced that its iOS application will begin blocking Google’s sponsored advertisements directly within the Safari browser.

    The initiative stems from growing concerns over the exploitation of Google’s advertising platforms by cybercriminals seeking to distribute malware and lure unsuspecting users to fraudulent websites.

    Malwarebytes, a renowned cybersecurity firm, highlights a troubling trend in which malicious actors leverage the ubiquity and trust associated with Google ads to execute various forms of cyberattacks.

    “Sponsored ads on Google search don’t just irritate users—they also provide a dangerous opportunity for cybercriminals to spread malware and scams to their unsuspecting victims,” the company noted.

    Such ads often masquerade as legitimate search results, effectively functioning as carefully disguised traps that can compromise users’ devices or personal information.

    Malvertising campaigns

    The security firm’s concerns are grounded in multiple investigations that revealed how malvertising campaigns operate within Google’s advertising ecosystem. For example, scammers have impersonated well-known brands, including Facebook, by placing deceptive advertisements that appear authentic at first glance.

    Another striking case involved the false promotion of CPU-Z, a reputable Windows utility tool; however, clicking the counterfeit ads resulted in the installation of an infostealer malware designed to harvest sensitive data.

    Additionally, fraudulent ads for a fake product named DeepSeek were discovered prominently displayed atop search results, further exemplifying the pervasive nature of these threats.

    Opaque digital advertising landscape

    Perhaps more alarming is the emergence of cybercriminals posing as Google itself or its advertising platform. This tactic seeks not only to deceive users but also to pilfer Google account credentials, which can subsequently be exploited to perpetuate further malicious advertising campaigns.

    Guardio Labs, a cybersecurity research organisation, has extensively detailed how such scams flourish in the largely opaque digital advertising landscape, where accountability often remains insufficient to deter or prevent abuse.

    Acknowledging these risks, Malwarebytes underscores the necessity for enhanced protective measures. Previously, the firm’s iOS app successfully blocked ads and ad trackers on general web pages; the newly introduced capability extends this protection to dangerous sponsored ads embedded within Google search results.

    This development aims to provide users with a more secure browsing experience by intercepting threats that might otherwise remain concealed behind seemingly innocuous advertisements.

    Malwarebytes’ protective measures come with certain conditions: the ad-blocking feature is available as part of a paid subscription service that begins after an initial seven-day free trial.

    While this model may limit access for some users, the firm emphasises the value offered through its comprehensive security coverage, which addresses evolving cyber threats that exploit mainstream advertising avenues.

    Hacker sends death threats and bullets to top Star Health executives

    Ana Mary Joseph
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    Hacker sends death threats and bullets to top Star Health executives
    • Accompanying these menacing deliveries was a threatening note warning that the next attack would be physical harm, signalling a dangerous shift from digital sabotage to tangible threats against individuals.

    The revelations surrounding the hacker known as “xenZen,” who leaked sensitive personal data from India’s largest health insurer, Star Health, and subsequently issued death threats to the company’s top executives, underscores a grave challenge in the domain of data privacy and corporate security.

    The incident not only exposes the vulnerability of digital infrastructures in handling massive volumes of sensitive information but also highlights the complexities arising when corporate actions intersect with the ethics and motivations of cybercriminals.

    The story of a substantial data breach at Star Health in September of last year, where xenZen publicly disclosed possession of approximately 7.24 terabytes of information encompassing the details of over 31 million customers.

    These data included sensitive medical reports, which fundamentally threaten the privacy and security of millions of individuals. The magnitude of this breach and the nature of the compromised data put Star Health under intense scrutiny from customers, data security experts, and regulators alike, raising pressing questions about the efficacy of existing cybersecurity measures within the Indian insurance sector.

    Denial of medical claims

    The hacker’s motivations, as outlined in a March 31st email to Reuters, were reportedly rooted in grievances over Star Health’s alleged denial of medical claims to certain customers.

    The email further revealed that xenZen had escalated the matter beyond data theft to targeted intimidation, having sent bullet cartridges concealed in packages addressed to Chief Executive Anand Roy and Chief Financial Officer Nilesh Kambli at the company’s Chennai headquarters.

    Accompanying these menacing deliveries was a threatening note warning that the next attack would be physical harm, signaling a dangerous shift from digital sabotage to tangible threats against individuals.

    Star Health’s response to these developments has been markedly restrained, citing the existence of an ongoing “highly sensitive criminal investigation” as a reason for non-disclosure.

    Raises profound concerns

    The cautious approach is understandable given the legal and security implications; however, it also underscores the broader challenge organisations face in balancing transparency with legal prudence amid cybersecurity crises.

    The silence of senior executives, including the Chief Executive who did not respond to requests for comment, and the company’s limited engagement through a public relations spokesperson, may leave stakeholders unsettled and questioning the adequacy of the company’s crisis management protocols.

    The pattern exhibited by xenZen—from data exfiltration to threatening violence—raises profound concerns about the evolving tactics of cybercriminals. Traditionally, hackers motivated by financial gain confined their activities to data theft and ransom demands.

    However, the inclusion of death threats introduces a new layer of intimidation, blurring the lines between digital crime and direct personal endangerment.

    Law enforcement’s involvement, as reported by The New Indian Express regarding police investigations in Tamil Nadu, is a critical step towards addressing this multifaceted threat, yet it also highlights the difficulties inherent in tracking and prosecuting cyber offenders who often operate anonymously across jurisdictions.

    This case serves as a stark reminder for corporations and governments to enhance their cybersecurity frameworks, particularly when handling sensitive personal data integral to public welfare, such as health information.

    It also prompts reflection on corporate accountability, ethical decision-making in claim adjudications, and the potential repercussions when customers perceive injustice.

    The hacker’s motive—alleged denial of medical claims—suggests that grievances, if unresolved through institutional mechanisms, may sometimes manifest in destructive acts with far-reaching consequences.

    Are AI chatbots quietly usurping dominance of search engines?

    Naushad K. Cherrayil
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    Are AI chatbots quietly usurping dominance of search engines?
    • From April 2024 to March 2025, AI chatbots reached 55.2b visits, representing a remarkable year-over-year increase of 80.92%. In stark contrast, search engines witnessed a marginal annual decline of 0.51%, with total visits decreasing slightly to 1.86tr over the same period.
    • Despite the impressive percentage growth in chatbot traffic, it only accounted for 2.96 per cent of the total visits garnered by search engines, equating to 34 times fewer visits.
    • ChatGPT leads the AI chatbot sector, commanding an 86.32% share while Google retains an even more dominant position in the search engine domain, holding 87.57% market share, followed by Microsoft Bing and Yandex.

    Two years ago, querying Google was instinctive; today, tens of billions of users increasingly turn to AI chatbots—ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini, among others—for instantaneous, conversational answers. These platforms dispense with traditional search rituals, eliminating the need to scroll through pages of links and click on multiple sources.

    The paradigm shift has ignited intense debate within the digital community, raising a critical question: Are AI chatbots quietly usurping the dominance of classic search engines?

    For search engine optimisation (SEO) professionals, content creators, and digital marketers, this inquiry transcends theoretical discourse. Its answer bears existential implications for their craft, which depends heavily on organic search traffic as a primary conduit for audience engagement and revenue generation.

    A downturn in search engine use could translate into fewer clicks, diminished readership, and ultimately, reduced client opportunities.

    Addressing these concerns requires empirical analysis rather than speculation. A comprehensive study by OneLittleWeb, spanning two full years from April 2023 to March 2025, offers illuminating insights into this evolving landscape.

    Utilising robust data from SEMrush and aitools.xyz, the study compares global web traffic metrics between the top ten search engines and the top ten AI chatbots.

    Contrary to provocative narratives of an imminent AI takeover, the findings suggest that, despite AI chatbots’ impressive growth trajectory, traditional search engines continue to dominate user engagement by a substantial margin.

    From April 2024 to March 2025, AI chatbots reached 55.2 billion visits, representing a remarkable year-over-year increase of 80.92 per cent. In stark contrast, search engines witnessed a marginal annual decline of 0.51 per cent, with total visits decreasing slightly to 1.86 trillion over the same period.

    Statistics

    Despite the impressive percentage growth in chatbot traffic, it only accounted for 2.96 per cent of the total visits garnered by search engines, equating to 34 times fewer visits.

    On a daily basis, the disparity remains pronounced: search engines averaged 5.5 billion visits each day in March 2025, while chatbots attracted just 233.1 million, underscoring an almost 24-fold difference in user engagement.

    The top 10 search engines experienced a slight decline, with visits dropping from 1,872.5 billion to 1,863.0 billion—a marginal decrease of 0.51 per cent, equating to a loss of 9.57 billion visits.

    In contrast, AI chatbots exhibited remarkable growth, with traffic more than doubling from 3.1 billion visits in April 2024 to 7.0 billion in March 2025, representing a 124.46 per cent increase.

    Despite this rapid expansion, chatbot usage remains relatively small, accounting for only about one-thirty-fourth of search engine traffic over the past year.

    These statistics affirm that, although gaining momentum, AI chatbots have not yet displaced search engines as the primary means of accessing information online.

    ChatGPT dominates

    Market share data further reinforces this dynamic. ChatGPT overwhelmingly leads the AI chatbot sector, commanding an 86.32 per cent share. Meanwhile, Google retains an even more dominant position in the search engine domain, holding 87.57 per cent market share, followed by Microsoft Bing and Yandex.

    Even with ChatGPT’s expansive growth, it attracts approximately 26 times fewer daily visits than Google. The remarkable growth rates of emerging AI chatbots like Grok and DeepSeek signify burgeoning competition and innovation within the AI space, yet their user numbers remain modest relative to established search engines.

    Conversely, traditional platforms face challenges largely highlighted by Yahoo’s 22.5 per cent year-over-year decline, underscoring the potential risks for legacy engines in an AI-integrated search environment.

    These dynamics suggest a digital landscape in flux but not a sweeping displacement. AI chatbots are carving out a significant niche as complementary tools that enhance convenience and conversational engagement.

    However, the entrenched infrastructure, reliability, and comprehensiveness of search engines continue to secure their central role.

    Gen Z adopts chatbots more

    For SEO professionals and digital marketers, the market signals an imperative to adapt strategies, integrating AI chatbot optimisation alongside conventional search engine tactics to capture emerging patterns of user behaviour.

    The disparity highlights that AI chatbots have not supplanted traditional search engines but are instead transforming user interaction with information.

    A notable demographic divide underpins this trend: younger users, particularly Generation Z, are increasingly adopting AI chatbots for conversational queries, while older generations continue to depend on search engines for comprehensive information retrieval.

    Furthermore, search engines are not stagnant; they are integrating AI features that enhance personalisation and relevance, thereby maintaining their indispensable role in everyday information access. In summary, the coexistence of AI chatbots and search engines reflects a complementary relationship.

    Search engines evolve to deliver richer experiences, while chatbots specialise in direct, personalised responses, together reshaping the digital information landscape without direct replacement.

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