Pit, a Stockholm-based startup founded by former Voi co-founders Adam Jafer and Hugo Thambert, has secured $16 million in seed funding led by Andreessen Horowitz. The company positions itself as an AI product team that automates enterprise workflows by generating custom code to replace manual tasks and legacy systems. Early pilots in logistics, healthcare, and telecom have reportedly reduced campaign execution time by 85% and achieved 99% automated invoice acceptance.
The investment round included participation from executives at OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, and Revolut. Pit utilizes its Pit Studio and Pit Cloud tools to build secure, governed software for operations, finance, and customer tasks. The founding team, which also includes veterans from Klarna and iZettle, emphasizes security and reliability for enterprise clients.
While Pit expands, the broader tech sector faces significant workforce adjustments. Job cuts in the United States surged 38% in April, reaching 83,387, with artificial intelligence accounting for 26% of all layoffs. Major technology companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google announced significant reductions, shifting spending from labor to capital for AI technology.
Infrastructure and regulation remain critical themes as AI grows. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed SB 484, requiring AI data centers to pay for their own utilities, while New Jersey voters largely support banning such facilities in their communities due to concerns over electricity bills and environmental impact. New Jersey lawmakers are also introducing bills to mandate AI content disclosures and protect individuals from unauthorized likeness use.
Corporate partnerships and product integrations continue to evolve. Snap ended its $400 million partnership with Perplexity in the first quarter of 2026, though the company reported a 5% year-over-year increase in daily active users to 483 million. Meanwhile, Google integrated its 4-GB Gemini model into the Chrome browser, allowing users to disable the feature via chrome://flags to address privacy concerns.
Hardware demand is driving market activity. Qualcomm stock jumped 15% after announcing it would ship chips to a large data center customer earlier than expected. The company also revealed new Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 and 4 Gen 5 mobile platforms designed for commercial devices from brands like Honor and OPPO, set to launch in the second half of 2026.
Key Takeaways
['Pit Raises $16 Million to Automate Enterprise Workflows
Pit, a Swedish startup, raised $16 million to help companies automate their business processes using artificial intelligence. The company was founded by Adam Jafer and Hugo Thambert, who previously worked at Voi, Klarna, and iZettle. Pit acts as an AI product team that learns a company's specific workflows and generates custom code to replace manual tasks. Early customers like Tre, Stena Recycling, and Kry are already using the platform to save time and reduce errors. The funding round was led by Andreessen Horowitz with participation from Lakestar and executives from OpenAI, Google, and Revolut.
Pit Launches AI Platform with $16M Seed Funding
Pit has officially launched its AI-native platform with $16 million in seed funding led by Andreessen Horowitz. The company offers an AI product team as a service that builds custom software to replace outdated spreadsheets and legacy systems. Pit uses two main tools, Pit Studio and Pit Cloud, to create secure and governed software for real operational tasks. Early pilots in logistics, healthcare, and telecom show significant results, such as an 85% reduction in campaign execution time. The founding team brings experience from Voi and Klarna, focusing on security and reliability for enterprise clients.
Startup Pit Gets $16M to Build Custom Enterprise Software
Andreessen Horowitz led a $16 million investment in Pit, a startup that automates enterprise workflows with artificial intelligence. Pit describes itself as a product team-as-a-service that learns how companies work and builds custom applications instantly. Users describe their business needs, and the platform creates software to handle operations, finance, and customer tasks without manual work. The company claims its deployments save an average of 10,000 hours annually and achieve 99% automated invoice acceptance. Investors include Lakestar and executives from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Revolut, and Deel.
Voi Founders Launch AI Startup Pit in Stockholm
Pit is a new artificial intelligence startup founded by the co-founders of the European scooter company Voi. The company is based in Stockholm and is backed by Andreessen Horowitz in a $16 million seed round. Pit aims to replace fragmented spreadsheets and SaaS tools with custom AI software that automates back-office functions. CEO Adam Jafer says the goal is to give employees more time for valuable work rather than repetitive tasks. The team includes veterans from Klarna and iZettle, and the company focuses on security and governance for enterprise clients.
April Job Cuts Rise 38% Due to AI Layoffs
Job cuts in the United States surged 38% in April compared to March, reaching a total of 83,387. Artificial intelligence is a major driver of these layoffs, with technology companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google announcing significant reductions. The number of cuts is the third-highest since the Great Recession in 2009. Andy Challenger from the research firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas noted that companies are shifting spending from labor to capital for AI. This trend highlights the ongoing changes in the job market as businesses adapt to new technologies.
AI Accounts for 26% of April Job Cuts Nationwide
Artificial intelligence is the top reason for layoffs, accounting for 26% of all job cuts in April. There were 21,490 AI-related layoffs last month out of a total of 88,387 job cuts. The technology sector saw the largest share of cuts with 33,361 job losses. Some tech firms are shifting money from paying employees to investing directly in AI technology. Other factors like tariffs and the Iran war also contributed to layoffs, but market conditions were the most common reason overall. Economists suggest AI might eventually create new jobs that do not exist today.
Flexport Promotes AI Hardware Logistics Webinar
Flexport is hosting a webinar in March 2023 to discuss logistics for sensitive and high-value AI hardware. The company is highlighting its digital platform, customs automation, and specialized white glove delivery services. These capabilities are designed to support the growing demand for AI data center build-outs. Investors see this as a strategic move to capture higher-margin services related to AI infrastructure. Flexport aims to deepen relationships with technology and data center clients through these targeted offerings.
Snap Ends $400 Million Partnership with Perplexity
Snap announced that its $400 million deal with Perplexity has ended amicably in the first quarter of 2026. The partnership was supposed to integrate Perplexity into Snapchat's Chat interface for conversational answers. Snap's sales guidance now assumes no revenue contribution from Perplexity. Despite this, Snap reported a 5% year-over-year increase in daily active users to 483 million. CEO Evan Spiegel credited new features like Snap Map and AR Lenses for the growth. The company also highlighted strong free cash flow and disciplined execution for the future.
Italian Prime Minister Shares AI-Generated Photo
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shared a fake AI-generated photo of herself wearing a skimpy slip on social media. She admitted the image was created with artificial intelligence but joked that it improved her appearance. Meloni used the post to warn against deepfakes that can deceive voters and manipulate public opinion. She condemned the use of such tools by bad actors while noting she can defend herself against them. The incident highlights the growing issue of AI-generated misinformation in politics.
Qualcomm Stock Jumps 15% on AI Chip News
Qualcomm stock rose 15% on Thursday as investors backed the company as a leader in the AI market. Trading volume doubled to 17.9 million shares, showing strong investor interest. The surge followed news that Qualcomm would ship chips to a large data center customer earlier than expected. The company also announced new Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 and 4 Gen 5 mobile platforms with improved AI and battery performance. These new chips will power commercial devices from brands like Honor, OPPO, and Redmi in the second half of 2026.
Users Can Disable Google Gemini in Chrome Browser
Google integrated a 4-GB AI model called Gemini into the Chrome browser, which has raised privacy concerns among users. The model is designed to improve search results and browser performance but runs in the background. Users who are worried about privacy can easily disable the feature by visiting chrome://flags in the browser settings. The steps involve searching for Gemini in the flags page and clicking the disable button before restarting Chrome. Disabling the feature might affect browser performance, so users should weigh the pros and cons.
Florida Passes Law Regulating AI Data Centers
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a new law requiring AI data centers to pay for their own utilities. The bill, known as SB 484, prevents data centers from shifting utility costs to customers. The law also requires a study on data center construction and operations to be submitted by July 1, 2027. Local governments retain the right to regulate land development for these facilities. DeSantis praised the legislation, though it was less expansive than what he originally wanted. The move reflects the governor's cautious approach to AI expansion compared to other Republicans.
New Jersey Voters Support AI Data Center Bans
A poll shows that a majority of New Jersey voters support banning artificial intelligence data centers in their communities. Nearly 75% of voters believe AI will eliminate more jobs than it creates, while only 7% think it will create more jobs. Eighty-four percent of voters support requiring data centers to supply their own power instead of using the existing grid. Residents are concerned about rising electricity bills, environmental impact, and noise from facilities like the one in Vineland. The poll highlights the challenge of balancing economic growth with public concerns over costs and sustainability.
New Jersey Proposes New AI Regulations
New Jersey Assemblyman Andrew Macurdy is introducing three bills to regulate artificial intelligence in the state. The proposed laws aim to address concerns about fake content and the difficulty of distinguishing real information from AI-generated material. One bill would require clear disclosures when content is created using AI, similar to laws in California and Utah. Another bill would protect individuals from having their likeness used without consent in realistic AI representations. A third bill establishes penalties for developers whose platforms are used for crimes like extortion or creating child abuse images.
Sources
- Pit Raises $16 Million To Help Enterprises Deploy AI At Scale
- Pit Secures $16M for AI Ops Platform
- AI product team startup Pit raises $16M from a16z and others to automate enterprise workflows
- Voi founders' new AI startup Pit has become the latest rising star out of Stockholm
- April Job Cuts Surge 38% On AI Downsizing
- AI emerges as a top cause of layoffs, accounting for 26% of April's job cuts
- Flexport Highlights AI Hardware Logistics Capabilities in Targeted Webinar
- Snap says its $400M deal with Perplexity 'amicably ended'
- Italian PM Giorgia Meloni shares spicy AI photo of herself as she blasts misinfo — but admits it 'improved me quite a bit'
- Qualcomm stock surges 15% on AI momentum trade
- How to Disable Google's Gemini in Chrome
- Florida has a new law regulating AI data centers
- Poll: Majority of New Jersey Voters Support AI Data Center Bans
- New push to regulate artificial intelligence in NJ
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