Block's 40% AI Cut, the $130B Tariff Scramble & Third Person Turns Two: The Latest Logistics News
Block (fka Square) announced a layoff of 40% of their employees, explicitly due to AI. Jack Dorsey even wrote the entire note in lowercase, which just goes to show nothing matters anymore BTW, the stock is up 23% on that news.
We're already seeing that the intelligence tools we’re creating and using, paired with smaller and flatter teams, are enabling a new way of working that fundamentally changes what it means to build and run a company. And that shift is accelerating rapidly.
Speaking of building companies, Third Person officially turns TWO this week! When we started this platform to seamlessly connect brands with the right 3PLs, we knew there was a massive gap in the market.
Two years later, the community we've built has exceeded every expectation. We have had over 2,000 brands sign up, we have over 400 3PLs, and we have helped 3PLs generate an incremental $50 Million in contracts. To celebrate the beginning of our third year, we are offering 30% off the monthly rate if you sign up for an annual plan.
While we are blowing out candles, the rest of the industry is scrambling to claw back $130 billion from the government, ocean carriers are signaling a massive year, and the regional parcel carriers are expanding their maps.
The $130 Billion Race for Tariff Refunds
Following last week’s monumental Supreme Court ruling that struck down the sweeping IEEPA tariffs, the chaotic scramble has begun. The WSJ reports that companies are racing to claim their slice of an estimated $130 billion in duties that were illegally collected. If you are an importer, your customs broker and legal counsel should be working overtime this weekend. The line for refunds is forming, and you do not want to be at the back of it. Source: WSJ
Shipping Industry Sends Strong Demand Signal
Are we headed for a massive 2026? The WSJ Logistics Report highlights that the global shipping industry is signaling robust consumer demand for the remainder of the year. Despite the recent dip in spot rates post-Lunar New Year, carriers and forwarders are seeing strong, sustained volume projections from major retailers. If this holds, capacity will tighten up significantly by Q3. Plan your inbound freight accordingly. Source: WSJ
Alternative Parcel Carriers Expand Coverage
While FedEx and UPS are busy closing hundreds of stations to shrink their footprints, the alternative and regional carriers are moving in. Supply Chain Dive maps out the aggressive 2026 growth and coverage expansions from the "challenger" parcel delivery companies. As the Big Two focus on margin over volume, the regional players are stepping up to offer the coverage and pricing flexibility that mid-market brands desperately need. Source: Supply Chain Dive
