TechSambad May 26, 2026: What ClickUp's mass layoff tells us about ... | The pope's AI encyclical isn't really abou... | Startup Battlefield 200 applications close... | 5 days left: Save up to $410 on TechCrunch....

A curated roundup of the most impactful stories in AI, technology, and research — handpicked to keep you informed and ahead of the curve.

1 What ClickUp's mass layoff tells us about the future of work

The nine-year-old startup is replacing hundreds of employees with thousands of AI agents.

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2 The pope's AI encyclical isn't really about AI

Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical uses AI as a lens to diagnose older problems: concentrated power, eroding democracy, and a tech elite that shapes the world to its own advantage.

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3 Startup Battlefield 200 applications close in days: Apply before May 27

$100K, VC access, TC coverage.

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4 5 days left: Save up to $410 on TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 passes

Early Bird ends May 29.

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5 Google I/O showed how the path for AI-driven science is shifting

MIT Tech Review's deep dive.

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6 Roundtables: Can AI Learn to Understand the World?

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