Net browser and search startup Courageous has laid off 27 workers throughout the completely different departments, TechCrunch has discovered. The corporate confirmed the layoffs however didn’t give extra particulars in regards to the whole headcount left and the rationale for the layoffs. It represents a good portion of the corporate’s workers — PitchBook estimates that Courageous has round 191 workers.
The brand new spherical of job cuts comes almost 10 months after the corporate let go of 9% of its whole workforce in October 2023. At the moment, the corporate mentioned that these cuts had been to a part of its efforts for “value administration on this difficult financial surroundings.”
After including a number of crypto-related options, Courageous has closely leaned into AI with its product releases this 12 months. The corporate launched its AI assistant, Leo, on desktop, Android, iPad, and iPhone in a staggered launch cycle.
The corporate built-in its personal search outcomes with its Leo chatbot in June. This meant customers can ask in regards to the rating of a sports activities match, or get extra context about an article they’re studying with out leaving the web page. The corporate can be promoting a Leo Premium subscription for $14.99 per 30 days for entry to raised fashions and better restrict charges.
Earlier this month, the corporate began letting all customers hyperlink their very own fashions to make use of within the browser after testing the power for just a few months.
Courageous didn’t specify if the price of growing and working these AI-focused options was one of many motivations behind this wave of layoffs.