More small businesses are looking to hire, but they’re having trouble finding qualified workers.

A recent survey from the National Federation of Independent Business found that just over half of respondents found few or no qualified applicants for open roles they wanted to fill. Immigration restrictions are contributing to the problem, particularly in fields like construction, plus a growing mismatch between worker’s skill levels and what employers need.

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OpenAI launched its new AI agent, ChatGPT Work, which can generate spreadsheets, presentations and more, as AI companies race to build autonomous workplace agents.

AI data labeling firm Mercor is in talks to raise $500 million at a valuation of $20 billion, and if the round closes, its three 23-year-old cofounders would be worth an estimated $4.3 billion apiece.

Billionaire Jack Dorsey’s Block will pay $45 million to 46 states over its handling of fraud on Cash App, as states ramp up their enforcement in the wake of the Trump administration gutting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Block has been in regulators’ crosshairs more than almost any other fintech over the last two years, and the court order........

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