Here's what's next for the tech sector in 2023
Boy howdy! It's already January! I'm your host, Jordan Parker Erb, and I've got some news: Today is my last edition of 10 Things in Tech.
After nearly two years writing this newsletter, I'm jumping into a new position in Insider's newsroom. Starting tomorrow, I'll begin work on the Life team. I won't be far, though; you can keep up with me on Twitter or Instagram.
Tomorrow, you'll begin receiving newsletters from my coworker, Diamond Naga Siu (you may have noticed she's written some recent editions — and done a great job). I'm excited for you to get to know her and her work.
But today's not all about me; we do have some tech news to get to. Below, we're taking a look ahead at the new year, and discussing what's next for the tech sector. I'll also look back on some of my favorite stories from the past year.
Let's get started.
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1. Wall Street analysts explain why they think tech is headed for a huge rebound in 2023. Tech companies saw a challenging 2022, but analysts at Wedbush say the industry will grow in the coming year, with nowhere to go but up. Here's which companies analysts think will rebound.
2. These were the ad industry's five biggest shocks of 2022. The past 12 months have been volatile for the ad industry — and it foreshadows even more change in 2023. From the digital ad crash to Elon Musk buying Twitter, these were the biggest shocks, and what they mean for the next year.
3. Y Combinator's head of admissions shares what she's looking for in applicants. Stephanie Simon reviewed over 20,000 startups for the startup accelerator's winter cohort. She told Insider that having a cofounder with a technical background, and solving real problems — among other things — are key to an application's success. Here's what else she's looking for this year.
4. Insider's Big Tech reporters share what to watch this coming year. A rival for Twitter, a decline in direct-to-consumer companies, and a slowdown for Amazon are among the trends that our reporters are predicting for 2023. Read all their predictions here.
5. Creator economy insiders share the trends that could change the industry in 2023. We asked creator economy industry professionals to share their predictions for next year. Some see more Gen X and millennial creators, while others predict that some startups will be closing their doors. See which trends to watch.
My favorite tech stories of 2022:
6. A startup founder made $200,000 last year ghostwriting tweets for superstar VCs. Twitter is Silicon Valley's most important social club, and top investors pay ghostwriters big bucks to make them look good — all in 280 characters or less. We spoke with a ghostwriter who built a booming side hustle, and only works five hours a week. Here's how he did it.
7. Amazon is gutting its voice assistant, Alexa. Once dubbed the "computer of the future," Alexa is now floundering. Earlier this year, Insider spoke with Amazon employees, who described a division in crisis, layoffs, and huge losses on "a wasted opportunity." Inside Amazon's Alexa unit.
8. A bizarre obsession over social media handles has turned into a deadly campaign of terror. Novel usernames — think @ginger, @Tennessee, or @jw — are coveted on sites like Twitter and Instagram. Some people will go to extreme lengths to get their hands on the so-called "OG handles," including, in some cases, harassing the owner until they surrender the username. Read the full story here.
9. Ever wondered why charismatic founders like WeWork founder Adam Neumann keep wooing Silicon Valley? Well, research has shown that it's not necessarily about pitching logical ideas. Instead, it's about pitching an idea with an air of trustworthiness and passion that wins over investors. Here's what science says about who gets funded.
10. Some employees are outsourcing their jobs to other people. Remote work has opened up numerous opportunities for fraudsters to hire other people to do their jobs for them — and experts say it's most common in IT, coding, and developer roles. See how companies are spotting the scammers.
Curated by Jordan Parker Erb in New York. (Feedback or tips? Email jerb@insider.com or tweet @jordanparkererb.) Edited by Hallam Bullock (tweet @hallam_bullock) in London.