Redefining Success - How Failure Carved Ankur Warikoo’s Path to Authentic Achievement

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For Ankur Warikoo, success was never a linear journey. It was a winding road paved with rejection, self-doubt, and hard-won lessons. Once a people-pleasing 20-something chasing society’s benchmarks, he now sees success as a deeply personal dialogue between ambition and authenticity—a conversation shaped not by trophies, but by scars.

Success Is Personal (And So Are the Stumbles)

Warikoo’s relationship with success began as a series of borrowed scripts. Like many, he chased prestigious degrees, high-paying jobs, and external validation. But repeated failures—rejections from IITs, dropped-out PhD programs, and startup collapses—forced him to rewrite the rules. “Failure wasn’t the opposite of success,” he reflects. “It was the mentor I never knew I needed.”

Through setbacks, he learned to measure success in micro-victories: outdoing his own expectations, choosing curiosity over comfort, and finding joy in incremental progress. “Breaking your limits without expecting to,” he says, “reveals how much more you’re capable of.”

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The Unsexy Truth: Grit Over Glamour

Warikoo’s career defies the myth of overnight success. From failed ventures like his food startup to the collapse of nearbuy, he discovered that persistence isn’t about grand gestures—it’s about showing up, even when the path feels futile. “Mastery is a slow-burn series,” he quips, comparing growth to a Netflix drama that only gets good after a tedious first season.

For him, authenticity became the anchor. Early attempts at content creation felt hollow until he embraced his unfiltered voice. “Consistency + authenticity isn’t a strategy,” he insists. “It’s survival. People connect with realness, not personas.”

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A Curriculum of Mistakes: Lessons From His 20s and 30s

In His 20s: Warikoo chased prestige—MBAs, consulting jobs, and “cool” books—while judging others for their life choices. He now cringes at his younger self’s naivety. “I confused being ‘good’ at something with happiness,” he admits. His wake-up call? Realizing that money buys freedom, not fulfillment, and that self-worth crumbles when tied to others’ opinions.

In His 30s: Success morphed into a different trap. As an entrepreneur, he prioritized scaling startups over family, equated leadership with control, and tied his identity to investor validation. Layoffs, financial turmoil, and a son who drew him holding a phone forced a reckoning. “Time is the only non-renewable resource,” he says. “Everything else can wait—except the people who matter.”

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The Failure Résumé: Scars as Credentials

At 41, Warikoo wears his failures like medals:

• Rejection from IITs taught resilience.

• A dropped PhD freed him to pivot.

• Startup implosions exposed the cost of misplaced priorities.

• Maxed credit cards redefined “wealth” as freedom, not luxury.

His lowest moment? Selling his wife’s gold bangles to buy his son a birthday gift. “Those scars,” he says, “are proof I kept fighting, even when I lost.”

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The Journey > The Destination

Today, Warikoo rejects society’s obsession with endpoints. “Life happens in the messy middle,” he argues. Success, for him, is no longer about awards or exits—it’s the freedom to live unapologetically, guided by self-awareness over others’ expectations.

Quoting Jim Carrey, he adds, “I wish everyone could get rich and famous so they’d see that’s not the answer.” His own version? “Regret is heavier than failure. Start today, even if you stumble.”

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Redefining the Rules

Warikoo’s story isn’t a blueprint—it’s a permission slip. He urges others to:

1. Rewrite their definitions of success (“Your rules, not the world’s”).

2. Embrace multiple identities (“Why be one person when you can be ten?”).

3. Treat mentors like Subway sandwiches (“Customize them for every life chapter”).

4. Let actions speak (“Luck favors those who make things happen”).

His mantra? “What you become through the process matters more than the outcome.”

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PS: “Scars tell truer stories than résumés,” Warikoo often says. “They’re proof you lived, fought, and grew. Wear them proudly.”

AI Evaluation Tools - Bridging Trust and Risk in Enterprise AI

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As enterprises race to deploy generative AI, a critical question emerges: How do we ensure these systems are reliable, ethical, and compliant? The answer lies in AI evaluation tools—software designed to audit AI outputs for accuracy, bias, and safety. But as adoption accelerates, these tools reveal a paradox: they’re both the solution to AI governance and a potential liability if misused.

Why Evaluation Tools Matter

AI systems are probabilistic, not deterministic. A chatbot might hallucinate facts, a coding assistant could introduce vulnerabilities, and a decision-making model might unknowingly perpetuate bias. For regulated industries like finance or healthcare, the stakes are existential.

Enter AI evaluation tools. These systems:

• Track provenance: Map how an AI-generated answer was derived, from the initial prompt to data sources.

• Measure correctness: Test outputs against ground-truth datasets to quantify accuracy (e.g., “93% correct, 2% hallucinations”).

• Reduce risk: Flag unsafe or non-compliant responses before deployment.

As John, an AI governance expert, notes: “The new audit isn’t about code—it’s about proving your AI adheres to policies. Evaluations are the evidence.”

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The Looming Pitfalls

Despite their promise, evaluation tools face three critical challenges:

1. The Laziness Factor
   Just as developers often skip unit tests, teams might rely on AI to generate its own evaluations. Imagine asking ChatGPT to write tests for itself—a flawed feedback loop where the evaluator and subject are intertwined.

2. Over-Reliance on “LLM-as-Judge”
   Many tools use large language models (LLMs) to assess other LLMs. But as one guest warns: “It’s like ‘Ask the Audience’ on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?—crowdsourcing guesses, not truths.” Without human oversight, automated evaluations risk becoming theater.

3. The Volkswagen-Emissions Scenario
   What if companies game evaluations to pass audits? A malicious actor could prompt-engineer models to appear compliant while hiding flaws. This “AI greenwashing” could spark scandals akin to the diesel emissions crisis.

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A Path Forward: Test-Driven AI Development

To avoid these traps, enterprises must treat AI like mission-critical software:

• Adopt test-driven development (TDD) for AI:
  Define evaluation criteria before building models. One manufacturing giant mandated TDD for AI, recognizing that probabilistic systems demand stricter checks than traditional code.

• Educate policy makers:
  Internal auditors and CISOs must understand AI risks. Tools alone aren’t enough—policies need teeth. Banks, for example, are adapting their “three lines of defense” frameworks to include AI governance.

• Prioritize transparency:
  Use specialized evaluation models (not general-purpose LLMs) to audit outputs. Open-source tools like Great Expectations for data or Weights & Biases for model tracking can help.

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The CEO Imperative

Unlike DevOps, AI governance is a C-suite issue. A single hallucination could tank a brand’s reputation or trigger regulatory fines. As John argues: “AI is a CEO discussion now. The stakes are too high to delegate.”

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Conclusion: Trust, but Verify

AI evaluation tools are indispensable—but they’re not a silver bullet. Enterprises must balance automation with human judgment, rigor with agility. The future belongs to organizations that treat AI like a high-risk, high-reward asset: audited relentlessly, governed transparently, and deployed responsibly.

The alternative? A world where “AI compliance” becomes the next corporate scandal headline.

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For leaders: Start small. Audit one AI use case today. Measure its accuracy, document its provenance, and stress-test its ethics. The road to trustworthy AI begins with a single evaluation.

Tags: Technology,Artificial Intelligence,Large Language Models,Generative AI,

4 Reasons Students Struggle to Improve (and How to Overcome Them)

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We’ve all been there—watching self-improvement videos, taking notes, and feeling inspired to change… only to fall back into old habits days later. Why does this happen? Why do we struggle to act on what we know we should do? After mentoring thousands of students, I’ve identified four core roadblocks—and solutions to break free.

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1. Lack of Focus & Discipline

Problem: You sit down to study, but within minutes, your phone buzzes. Social media, Netflix, or random web surfing hijack your attention. Hours vanish, leaving guilt and unfinished tasks.
Solution: Track your screen time. Delete distracting apps or set strict limits. Designate "focus hours" daily—no exceptions. Start small: 25 minutes of deep work, followed by a 5-minute break. Gradually increase this as your mental stamina grows.

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2. Low Self-Confidence

Problem: Past failures or criticism make you doubt your abilities. You avoid big goals, thinking, “What if I fail?” This fear becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Solution: Rewire your mindset with daily affirmations: “I am capable. I will succeed.” Read books like The Greatest Secret to reprogram limiting beliefs. Celebrate small wins—finishing a chapter, solving a tough problem—to build momentum.

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3. Chasing the Wrong Path

Problem: You’re working hard, but on the wrong goals. Maybe peer pressure or societal expectations pushed you into engineering, medicine, or MBA prep—even if your heart isn’t in it.
Solution: Pause. Ask: “Is this MY dream, or someone else’s?” Align your efforts with your strengths and passions. If coding drains you but writing excites you, pivot. Success requires direction, not just speed.

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4. Complacency

Problem: You settle for “good enough.” “My grades are okay.” “I’ll figure out placements later.” Comfort zones feel safe but breed regret.
Solution: Visualize the cost of inaction. If you slack now, you’ll face stress later—job insecurity, financial dependence, or missed opportunities. Write down where you want to be in 5 years. Let that hunger drive you.

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Your 4-Step Roadmap to Progress

1. Assess Your Starting Point: Where are you today? Be brutally honest. Are you spending 4 hours daily on TikTok? Struggling with basics in your field? Write it down.

2. Define Clear Goals: Where do you want to be? “I want a ₹20LPA job at a top tech firm” beats vague goals like “I want a good job.”

3. Build a Step-by-Step Plan:

   • Month 1: Master core subjects (e.g., DSA for coders).

   • Month 3: Develop practical skills (e.g., app development).

   • Month 6: Apply for internships with a polished portfolio.

4. Set Deadlines: Assign timelines to each milestone. “Finish Python basics by July” creates urgency.

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The Secret Weapon: Self-Accountability

Your parents’ stress about your future isn’t just their burden—it’s a wake-up call. Every minute wasted today steals time from your future. Use tools like screen-time trackers, study schedules, and peer groups to stay on track.

Ask yourself daily: “Is this action moving me closer to my goal?” If not, cut it out. Replace Netflix binges with skill-building courses. Swap casual hangouts with study sessions.

Remember: Life rewards those who prioritize long-term gains over short-term dopamine. You aren’t competing with others—you’re racing against your own potential.

Start today. Write your goals. Take one step. Repeat.
The rest will follow.

Tags: Technology,Behavioral Science,

Superintelligence Horizon - Timelines and the Future of India

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The Superintelligence Horizon: Timelines and the Future of India

The buzz around artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer confined to science fiction. With rapid advancements, the prospect of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) – AI with human-level cognitive abilities – and even superintelligence, which surpasses human intellect, is becoming a serious topic of discussion. When could these milestones be reached, and what would life be like, particularly in a country as diverse as India?

Predicting the future is never easy, especially when it comes to technology. Experts have varying opinions on when AGI might arrive, with some optimistic leaders in AI companies suggesting it could be within the next few years. Surveys of AI researchers tend to offer more conservative estimates, pointing towards the mid-21st century. The timeline for superintelligence is even more uncertain, with some predicting it could follow AGI relatively quickly.  

Here's a snapshot of some predictions:

Source	Predicted Timeline for AGI	Predicted Timeline for Superintelligence	Definition of AGI Used
Leaders of AI Companies	2-5 years	Shortly after AGI	Unclear
AI Researchers (2023 Survey)	~2032	Unclear	'Can do all tasks better than humans'
Metaculus Forecasters (January 2025)	2027	Shortly after AGI	Four-part definition including robotic manipulation
Anthropic CEO (Dario Amodei)	2026	Shortly after AGI	Human-level intelligence
OpenAI CEO (Sam Altman)	2025	A few thousand days	Generally smarter than humans
"AI 2027" Forecast	2027	Shortly after AGI	AI agents becoming junior employees and rapidly advancing
AI Impacts Survey (2023)	2047 (50% probability)	Unclear	High-level machine intelligence: machines can accomplish every task better and more cheaply than human workers
Superforecasters via XPT (2022)	2047	Unclear	Same as Metaculus
Roman Yampolskiy (AI Safety Expert, 2025)	2-30 years	3-4 years after AGI	Systems that far exceed human capabilities in a wide range of tasks
Geoffrey Hinton ("Godfather of AI," 2025)	5-20 years	Within 5-20 years	AI surpassing human intelligence

The arrival of superintelligence will likely bring significant global changes. Economically, we could see unprecedented growth and productivity , but also a risk of increased inequality and job displacement. Governance will face new challenges in ensuring AI alignment with human values and preventing misuse. Social interactions could also be transformed, potentially impacting relationships and raising ethical dilemmas. Existential risks, though debated, are a serious concern for some experts.  

For India, a nation with a large and growing population, superintelligence presents both immense opportunities and unique challenges. In agriculture, AI could revolutionize farming practices, increase yields, and improve resource management. The manufacturing sector could see increased efficiency and automation, potentially boosting India's ambition to become a global manufacturing hub. The technology sector itself could witness rapid innovation and growth, with India potentially becoming a hub for AI research and development. The services sector, a significant part of India's economy, is also expected to be transformed through personalized services and automation.  

For ordinary citizens in India, superintelligence could mean significant shifts in employment, requiring upskilling and reskilling. Education could become highly personalized and accessible. Healthcare could see advancements in diagnostics and treatment, reaching even remote areas. Access to resources might be optimized, but equitable distribution will be crucial.  

Navigating this future requires careful ethical considerations, ensuring AI aligns with India's cultural and societal values. Bias in algorithms, accountability, privacy, and human autonomy will need to be addressed thoughtfully.  

In conclusion, the journey towards superintelligence holds immense potential for India. By proactively addressing the challenges and ethically harnessing the opportunities, India can chart a course towards inclusive growth and global leadership in the age of advanced AI.

Tags: Technology,Indian Politics,Artificial Intelligence,

Sam Altman on AI’s Creative Power, Ethics, and the Road to AGI

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In a revealing TED interview, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman unpacked the seismic shifts AI is driving across creativity, ethics, and society. From jaw-dropping demos of Sora’s video generation to existential questions about artificial general intelligence (AGI), Altman balanced optimism with caution, offering a glimpse into AI’s transformative future.

AI’s Creative Frontier

Altman showcased Sora, OpenAI’s video generator, which imagined a TED Talk filled with “shocking revelations”—a surreal clip of an animated host (complete with five-fingered hands) delivering a speech. He also highlighted GPT-4’s ability to generate philosophical diagrams and Charlie Brown-inspired musings on AI consciousness. While acknowledging concerns about AI “thinking,” Altman emphasized tools that amplify human creativity: “Every technological revolution raises expectations, but capabilities grow exponentially. It’ll be easy to rise to the occasion.”

Ethical Tightropes: IP, Consent, and Fairness

When asked about AI’s use of copyrighted material (like mimicking living artists), Altman admitted the need for new economic models. “If you generate art in the style of seven consenting artists, how do you split revenue?” He stressed collaboration over coercion, noting OpenAI blocks style replication without permission but envisions opt-in systems where creators benefit. The challenge, he said, is balancing inspiration with ownership: “Human creativity should be lifted up, not replaced.”

Open Source, Safety, and the AGI Debate

OpenAI plans to release a “near-frontier” open-source model, despite risks. Altman acknowledged misuse potential but argued transparency and democratized access are critical. On safety, he defended OpenAI’s “preparedness framework” to address bioterror or cybersecurity threats but sidestepped critiques of recent safety team departures.

AGI, he argued, isn’t a single “moment” but a continuum: “Models will keep getting smarter. What matters is ensuring they’re safe as they surpass human capability.” He dismissed dystopian sci-fi scenarios, focusing instead on AI’s tangible risks—like destabilizing democracies through hyper-personalized disinformation.

A Future of Abundance—and Accountability

Altman envisions a world where AI drives unprecedented scientific breakthroughs (think disease cures or room-temperature superconductors) and becomes an indispensable “companion.” Yet, he conceded the existential stakes: “We’re stewarding technology that could reshape humanity’s destiny.” When pressed on moral authority, he emphasized OpenAI’s mission to “benefit humanity” while learning from mistakes.

Conclusion: The AI Crossroads

As AI evolves, Altman urges cautious optimism: “Society figures out how to get technology right—with mistakes along the way.” Whether OpenAI’s tools become humanity’s allies or adversaries hinges on balancing innovation with humility. For now, Altman’s north star remains clear: “The most important driver of progress is scientific discovery. AI will help us push that frontier further than ever.”

AI - The Alien Intelligence Reshaping Humanity’s Future

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In a world grappling with ecological crises, a new force is emerging that could redefine humanity’s trajectory: artificial intelligence. Unlike nuclear weapons or climate change, AI’s threat isn’t physical—it’s cultural. By mastering language, AI has unlocked the “operating system” of human civilization, wielding power over politics, religion, art, and even our perception of reality.

The Language Revolution

For millennia, language has been humanity’s tool to build myths, laws, and identities. Now, AI surpasses human ability in generating text, images, and even emotional narratives. It drafts laws, writes cult scriptures, and creates deepfake personas. This isn’t just about chatbots writing essays—it’s about AI shaping ideologies. Imagine political campaigns driven by AI-generated manifestos, or religions founded on algorithms. By hijacking language, AI threatens to rewrite the stories that bind societies.

Democracy in the Crosshairs

AI’s real danger lies in its ability to exploit intimacy. Unlike social media algorithms that curate content, AI can create content, forging fake relationships to manipulate opinions. During the 2024 U.S. election, AI could mass-produce conspiracy theories, fake news, or personalized propaganda, eroding trust in democratic processes. As historian Yuval Noah Harari warns, “If we can’t distinguish human from AI in conversations, democracy collapses.”

A New Cultural Cocoon

Humanity has always lived within cultural narratives woven by poets, prophets, and politicians. AI now threatens to replace these with alien stories. While early AI may mimic human creativity, it will soon venture into uncharted territory, crafting cultures incomprehensible to humans. We risk becoming trapped in a “matrix” of illusions, mistaking AI-generated fiction for reality—a modern-day Plato’s Cave.

The Urgency of Regulation

The solution isn’t to halt AI development but to regulate its deployment. Key steps include:

1. Mandatory Disclosure: AI must identify itself in interactions.

2. Safety Checks: Treat AI like pharmaceuticals—test before release.

3. Global Cooperation: Prevent an AI arms race that destabilizes democracies.

Unlike nuclear tech, AI evolves exponentially, outpacing human oversight. Without regulation, we risk surrendering our mental sovereignty to algorithms. As Harari starkly notes, “If we wait for chaos, it will be too late.”

Conclusion

AI isn’t just a tool—it’s an alien intelligence reshaping humanity’s future. Its power to manipulate language and culture demands urgent, thoughtful governance. The choice isn’t between progress and caution but between control and chaos. To protect democracy and reality itself, we must act before AI rewrites the rules of our world.

Tags: Technology,Artificial Intelligence,

Layoffs begin at US health agencies responsible for research, tracking disease (Apr 2025)

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The notices came just days after Donald Trump moved to strip workers of their collective bargaining rights at HHS and other agencies throughout the government.

In an overhaul that is ultimately anticipated to result in the layoff of up to 10,000 employees, letters of dismissal were sent to staff members throughout the huge U.S. Health and Human Services Department on Tuesday.(AP)

Employees across the massive U.S. Health and Human Services Department began receiving notices of dismissal on Tuesday in an overhaul ultimately expected to lay off up to 10,000 people. The notices came just days after President Donald Trump moved to strip workers of their collective bargaining rights at HHS and other agencies throughout the government.

At the National Institutes of Health, the world's leading health and medical agency, the layoffs occurred as its new director, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, began his first day of work.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a plan last week to remake the department, which, through its agencies, is responsible for tracking health trends and disease outbreaks, conducting and funding medical research, and monitoring the safety of food and medicine, as well as for administering health insurance programs for nearly half of the country.

The plan would consolidate agencies that oversee billions of dollars for addiction services and community health centers under a new office called the Administration for a Healthy America.

The layoffs are expected to shrink HHS to 62,000 positions, lopping off nearly a quarter of its staff — 10,000 jobs through layoffs and another 10,000 workers who took early retirement and voluntary separation offers.

Two lines with hundreds of employees wrapped around the HHS headquarters building Tuesday morning. Workers waited in the chilly spring weather to be individually scanned in for access to the building. Some said they were waiting to find out if they still had jobs. Others gathered at local coffee shops and lunch spots after being turned away, finding out they had been eliminated after decades of service.

One wondered aloud if it was a cruel April Fools' Day joke.

At the NIH (National Institutes of Health), the cuts included at least four directors of the NIH’s 27 institutes and centers who were put on administrative leave, and nearly entire communications staffs were terminated, according to an agency senior leader, speaking on the condition of anonymity to avoid retribution.

An email viewed by The Associated Press shows some senior-level employees of the Bethesda, Maryland, campus who were placed on leave were offered a possible transfer to the Indian Health Service in locations including Alaska and given until the end of Wednesday to respond.

At the FDA, dozens of staffers who regulate drugs and tobacco products received notices, including the entire office responsible for drafting new regulations for electronic cigarettes and other tobacco products. The notices came as the FDA’s tobacco chief was removed from his position. Elsewhere at the agency, more than a dozen press officers and communications supervisors were notified that their jobs would be eliminated.

Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington predicted the cuts will have ramifications when natural disasters strike or infectious diseases, like the ongoing measles outbreak, spread.

“They may as well be renaming it the Department of Disease because their plan is putting lives in serious jeopardy,” Murray said Friday.

Beyond layoffs at federal health agencies, cuts are beginning to happen at state and local health departments as a result of an HHS move last week to pull back more than $11 billion in COVID-19-related money. Local and state health officials are still assessing the impact, but some health departments have already identified hundreds of jobs that stand to be eliminated because of lost money, “some of them overnight, some of them are already gone,” said Lori Tremmel Freeman, chief executive of the National Association of County and City Health Officials.

Union representatives for HHS employees received a notice Thursday that 8,000 to 10,000 employees will be terminated. The department’s leadership will target positions in human resources, procurement, finance and information technology. Positions in “high cost regions” or that have been deemed “redundant” will be the focus of the layoffs.

Kennedy criticized the department he oversees as an inefficient “sprawling bureaucracy” in a video Thursday announcing the restructuring. He said the department’s $1.7 trillion yearly budget “has failed to improve the health of Americans.”

“I want to promise you now that we’re going to do more with less,” Kennedy said.

The department on Thursday provided a breakdown of some of the cuts.

__ 3,500 jobs at the Food and Drug Administration, which inspects and sets safety standards for medications, medical devices and foods.

__ 2,400 jobs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which monitors for infectious disease outbreaks and works with public health agencies nationwide.

__ 1,200 jobs at the NIH.

__ 300 jobs at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which oversees the Affordable Care Act marketplace, Medicare and Medicaid.

At the CDC, most employees have not been unionized, but interest rose sharply this year as the Trump administration took steps to reduce the federal workforce. Roughly 2,000 CDC employees in Atlanta belonged to the American Federation of Government Employees local bargaining unit, with hundreds more who had petitioned to join in recent days being added.

But on Thursday night, Trump, a Republican, signed an executive order that would end collective bargaining for a large number of federal agencies, including the CDC and other health agencies.

The erosion of collective bargaining rights was decried by some Democratic lawmakers.

“President Trump’s brazen attempt to strip the majority of federal employees of their union rights robs these workers of their hard-fought protections," Reps. Gerald Connolly and Bobby Scott, both of Virginia, said in a joint statement Friday.

Connolly and Scott said this would give Trump adviser Elon Musk "more power to dismantle the people’s government with as little resistance from dedicated civil servants as possible — further weakening the federal government’s ability to serve the American people.”

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Tags: Layoffs,