The Observation Engine

Today, President Trump signed a sweeping executive order imposing a $100,000 annual fee for each new H-1B visa application. This move could significantly alter the landscape of skilled immigration, the Indian IT sector, and global talent flow. Here's an in-depth look at the order, its context, and its far-reaching consequences. What Does the Executive Order Say? Effective September 21, 2025 , U.S. employers must pay $100,000 for every H-1B visa petition. The rule covers new entries and will last for at least 12 months unless extended. H-1B petitions not accompanied by this fee will be denied, locking out thousands of foreign workers unless companies are willing (and able) to pay the surcharge. U.S. agencies are ordered to close loopholes, such as arrivals on business (B-1/B-2) visas with plans to transition to H-1B jobs, making side-stepping the rule nearly impossible. Impact on the Indian IT Industry Short-Term Pain Immediate Cost Spike: Indian IT giants (TCS, In...

  Meta has unveiled its most advanced smart glasses yet, the Meta Ray-Ban Display , at its Connect 2025 event. These AI-powered glasses feature a built-in color display in the right lens and introduce gesture-based controls via an innovative EMG “Neural Band” wristband. Key Features Heads-Up Display: A full-color, high-resolution screen sits in the right lens, showing notifications, messages, navigation, real-time translations, and Meta AI responses. The display is activated only when needed, keeping the classic sunglasses look. Gesture Controls: The included Meta Neural Band wristband reads subtle muscle signals from your hand, allowing you to scroll, select, and interact with the glasses through simple motions such as swiping, pinching, or rotating your wrist. AI-Powered: Users can ask Meta AI to assist, get information, preview photos, and more, all visible directly on the lens display. Camera and Audio: The glasses feature a 12MP camera for 3K video recording, ...

Reliance Industries has made waves with the announcement of two major alliances, with Meta and Google, to accelerate India’s AI-powered future. These partnerships mark a bold new chapter for India’s technology sector, promising to democratize access to advanced artificial intelligence across businesses of all sizes. Reliance and Meta: Bringing Enterprise AI to Every Business Joint Venture & Investment: Reliance and Meta are forming an AI-focused joint venture (“Reliance Intelligence”) with an initial investment of ₹855 crore (about $100 million), Reliance holding 70% and Meta 30%. Open Source Power: The JV will leverage Meta’s open-source Llama models, making it possible for Indian organizations, from startups to large corporates, to easily deploy plug-and-play AI tools for sales, IT, customer support, and more. Democratized AI: Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of Reliance, says the goal is to “democratize enterprise-grade AI for every Indian organisation,” with Meta CEO Mark Z...

Instagram’s new “Map” feature, launched in August 2025, has quickly become one of the most controversial updates to the platform, sparking widespread concerns over safety, stalking, and personal privacy. What Is the Instagram Map? Similar to Snapchat’s Snap Map, the Instagram Map allows users to share their last active location with friends or followers . The main idea is to help users connect with people nearby or discover trending local content, but this opt-in tool has not been received as warmly as Instagram hoped. Why Are People Worried? Despite assurances from Meta (Instagram’s parent company) that location sharing is off by default and requires active user consent , social media is buzzing with anxiety and confusion: Users fear their real-time location is being exposed without their knowledge. Viral posts, especially from influencers, caution people to double-check their privacy settings. Stories of accidental exposure : Some users reported that their home addresses w...