More MindsEye developers have been laid off, and GTA veteran Leslie Benzie's studio is reportedly shutting down

eurogamer.net Sep 17, 2026

More MindsEye developers have been laid off, and GTA veteran Leslie Benzie’s studio is reportedly shutting down

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Sep 17, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Build A Rocket Boy, the studio behind the troubled MindsEye project and founded by Grand Theft Auto veteran Leslie Benzies, is undergoing another wave of layoffs, according to IGN. Employees including head of audio Stuart Ross, level designer Liam Shannon, release manager Michaela Emslie, lead QA analyst Sandy Greig, QA analyst Elizabet Tyaneva, production QA analyst Cameron Deaves and several others announced their departures. This follows previous cuts: an undisclosed number of redundancies last year and a reported 170‑person layoff in May, after which remaining staff staged a protest over an “all expenses paid” fan event. Sources cited by Kotaku claim the studio may be shutting down permanently, a view echoed by talent acquisition officer Dan Hawkins, who posted he is seeking new work while helping wrap up HR functions. MindsEye’s first year was marred by a scaled‑back vision, poor reviews and technical issues, fueling speculation about the company’s viability.

💡 Why It Matters

· The potential closure of a studio led by a high‑profile industry veteran underscores how a single poorly received launch can jeopardize even well‑connected developers.

Read full article on eurogamer.net

Your startup’s next teammate might be an AI agent: Gusto, Insight Partners,…

At TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, Gusto CEO Josh Reeves, Insight Partners’ Michelle Johnson, and Leland co‑founder John Koelliker convened on the Builders Stage to discuss “Hiring When AI Is a Co‑Founder.” They examined how early‑stage companies can blend human and AI agents across engineering, support, and sales, addressing ownership, accountability, and decision‑making. The session highlighted practical strategies for building AI‑native teams without sacrificing speed, culture, or control, and offered insights for founders, investors, and talent leaders.

💡 By redefining who owns tasks, the discussion reshapes startup hiring norms, pushing founders to prioritize human judgment over routine automation. This shift could accelerate product development while preserving critical decision‑making roles.

analyticsinsight.net · Sep 17

Google Co-Founder Sergey Brin Returns to AI Research Frontline Now

Sergey Brin, Google’s co‑founder, has re‑entered the company’s artificial‑intelligence work in a hands‑on capacity, focusing on the Gemini model as Alphabet intensifies its generative‑AI push. Though he holds no formal executive title, Brin now operates from a converted micro‑kitchen in Google’s Gradient Canopy building in Mountain View, convening a small team of engineers and leaders. Employees say he participates in Gemini‑related discussions, influences computing‑resource allocation, and advocates a faster, startup‑like development pace. Brin’s involvement follows an April town‑hall where he urged DeepMind staff to “go all in” on Gemini, and it coincides with Google’s delayed flagship release after internal tests showed the model lagging behind rivals such as OpenAI and Anthropic. He is also reportedly fascinated by recursive self‑improvement, a concept that could shape future AI capabilities.

💡 Brin’s technical re‑engagement injects founder‑level urgency into Google’s AI race, potentially accelerating Gemini’s evolution and reshaping the company’s competitive posture.

standardspeaker.com · Sep 16

Editorial: America needs responsible leadership on AI development. It has Trump instead

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei published a 3,800‑word essay urging a global slowdown of artificial‑intelligence development, citing risks that outweigh benefits. The call follows an Anthropic researcher’s resignation over safety concerns and a warning that the technology has more than a 10% chance of causing human extinction. Amodei’s plea was met with lukewarm support from other AI leaders, including Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and Demis Hassabis. The article highlights growing alarm among AI pioneers about potential misuse, misinformation, cyberattacks, and job‑market disruption. It also notes critics who view the slowdown as a strategy to stifle competition.

💡 The debate signals a tipping point where AI safety may shape global policy, potentially redefining how technology is regulated and deployed worldwide.

vox.com · Sep 16

Can AI save global health? Bill Gates is betting $1 billion that…

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Bill Gates announced a $50 million partnership between the Gates Foundation and OpenAI to improve healthcare in Rwanda. The foundation had earlier released a report warning of rising child mortality amid global health aid cuts. Following the Davos announcement, the foundation secured a $200 million collaboration with Anthropic and, on Tuesday, committed $1 billion over two years to scale AI solutions in health, education, and agriculture worldwide. The initiative aims to leverage AI to address infrastructure gaps and improve health outcomes in low‑resource settings.

💡 Gates’ pledge signals a decisive shift toward AI as a tool for global health, potentially redefining how aid is delivered and monitored in crisis regions. The scale of investment could accelerate the deployment of data‑driven diagnostics and supply‑chain management, reshaping international development strategies.

bmmagazine.co.uk · Sep 16

Sam Altman says world should trust AI firms to keep technology safe

At Dreamforce in San Francisco, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman urged the public to trust AI firms to safeguard technology, acknowledging legitimate fears about AI risks. He asserted that companies can self‑regulate and will “get it right,” warning that failure to keep safety ahead of capability would force a slowdown or halt. Altman’s remarks followed a viral claim by an Anthropic researcher that unchecked AI could end humanity by decade’s end. Industry leaders, including Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, echoed calls for internal safety measures and cautioned against external regulation. The debate intensified after Anthropic’s CEO Dario Amodei urged a slower development pace and government oversight, a stance supported by Altman, Demis Hassabis, and Elon Musk.

💡 The dialogue underscores a pivotal shift toward industry‑led safety protocols, potentially redefining regulatory approaches to AI development.

eurogamer.net · Sep 16

Wardogs studio CEO issues new statement, after backlash for saying his studio…

Bulkhead CEO Joe Brammer sparked controversy after an interview on The Game Business in which he admitted the studio expects occasional crunch and that it screens job applicants’ social media for anti‑crunch posts. The remarks prompted a backlash on X, with critics accusing him of endorsing a hostile work environment. Brammer later responded to Eurogamer, claiming his comments were taken out of context and emphasizing that Bulkhead offers a four‑day work week for part of development, gives staff December off, and has a broad employee‑ownership structure. He insisted crunch is not mandatory but an acknowledged possibility, and that monitoring socials is simply a cultural filter. The dispute highlights ongoing tensions over labor practices in the UK gaming sector.

💡 It exposes how public statements on workplace expectations can quickly polarize a studio’s reputation, forcing leaders to navigate legal gray areas while defending their culture.