Good morning. Here are the developments moving fast today—and why they matter.

YouTube outage hits hundreds of thousands of users
A major YouTube disruption knocked the platform offline for more than 100,000 users, according to real‑time reports compiled by Downdetector. The outage underscores big tech’s single‑point‑of‑failure risk for news, commerce and creators who rely on the world’s dominant video service for distribution and income [1].

AI jobs shock: Andrew Yang’s stark warning
Entrepreneur and former presidential candidate Andrew Yang says the “end of the office” is accelerating as AI takes over information‑processing roles—potentially rendering “millions” of white‑collar jobs obsolete this year. Yang predicts “the great disemboweling of white‑collar jobs,” with not just reports but some decisions automated, and urges workers to “make a plan” and “be adaptable” as disruption drives financial and social strain [2].

Big money, big legacy: Schwarzman to give it all away
Blackstone founder Stephen Schwarzman plans to donate his entire $48 billion fortune to a major philanthropic foundation, positioning one of Wall Street’s most influential financiers to bankroll large‑scale projects for decades. The scope suggests an institution with Gates‑like reach, though specifics on timelines and focus areas remain to be detailed [4].

Trade watch: Japan’s exports roar back on China demand
Japan’s latest trade print shows exports surging, led by shipments to China—an encouraging sign for regional supply chains and Asia’s semiconductor and machinery complexes that feed Chinese manufacturing and consumer demand [1][3]. A durable rebound would ease growth jitters across the region.

The bottom line

• Platform fragility is back in the spotlight after YouTube’s outage.
• AI’s white‑collar reckoning is no longer theoretical—and political pressure for safety nets will rise.
• A $48B philanthropic pledge could reshape funding for science, education and public health.
• Japan’s export pulse hints at a stabilizing Asia trade cycle, with China demand the swing factor.

References

1. YouTube Down for More Than a Hundred Thousand Users, Downdetector Reports
2. Andrew Yang Warns ‘Millions’ of Americans Could Lose Jobs This Year
3. Japan’s exports surge, led by shipments to China – Donald Trump | International Trade News – Head Topics
4. Blackstone founder Stephen Schwarzman plans to donate his entire $48 billion fortune to a major philanthropic foundation