Tech layoffs 2025:”I”ve Been Laid Off Four Times in 18 Years — But I Don’t Blame AI”
As told to Business Insider by Marc Kriguer, 59, a software engineer
I fell in love with computers in fifth grade — I debugged someone else’s code a month before turning 10. Back then, in the late 1970s, personal computers were rare and no one talked about being a software engineer. But I knew that’s what I wanted to do.
Today, I’ve been a software engineer for 28 years. Over the last 18 years, I’ve lost my job four times.
The Layoffs Begin
My first layoff came around 2008 while I was at Sun Microsystems. Layoffs had become an annual event since 2002, and I survived the first few. But eventually, our group was hit hard. Not long after, Oracle acquired the company.
Since then, I’ve been laid off three more times. In 2019, I lost my role as a principal engineer at a plagiarism-checking company. During COVID, another company let me go due to a sharp revenue drop. And just two months ago, my role at Walmart Global Tech was eliminated — along with about 1,500 others.
I Don’t Think AI Is to Blame
AI has certainly changed the landscape, but I don’t believe it’s causing layoffs.
At Walmart, I saw the company start encouraging the use of AI-powered tools for coding. I resisted — I believe human-written code is still better. However, I did find AI useful in code reviews. One tool we used did a solid job evaluating code quality.
Many job listings today ask for AI experience, and I don’t have it. But most are open to candidates who can learn on the job. I don’t feel behind yet, but I know in a couple of years, AI skills will be mandatory.
The Real Problem: Companies Hire Too Fast
Tech layoffs have become more frequent in recent years. In my experience, they’re rarely about performance. Cost-cutting is almost always the root cause.
Tech companies often grow too fast, backed by venture capital. They hire aggressively, then find they can’t sustain those expenses. Engineers are often among the first to go because their salaries are higher.
But companies forget something crucial: You still need engineers. Bugs crop up. Code needs maintenance. Just because a product is built doesn’t mean the job is done.
The Job Market Still Has Space
Despite these setbacks, I’ve never been unemployed for more than five months. This time, I’ve applied to about 40 jobs and interviewed with 15 companies.
I haven’t tracked the job market for new engineers closely, but from what I see, demand for software engineers hasn’t disappeared. It may not be booming, but it’s also not shrinking.
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📝 Written by Business Insider | As told to Business Insider by Marc Kriguer
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