That's not necessarily a result of AI, you also have to consider the broader economic environment. I mean, it was also difficult to get a job as a graduate in 2008, whereas it's typically been easier to get a job when credit is cheap.

FAANG realizing that they can't make infinite money by expanding into every possible market while paying FAANG salaries for low-scale-CRUD-prototyping roles has a lot to do with this, and that started a bit earlier than the AI wave.

Lots going on right now in the market, but IMO that retreat is the biggest one still.

Many companies were basically on a path of infinite hiring between ~2011 and ~2022 until the rapid COVID-era whiplash really drove home "maybe we've been overhiring" and caused the reaction and slowdown that many had been predicting annually since, oh, 2015.

Because of overhiring during the post-COVID free money glitch, not because of AI.

Aren't we both responding to an article which says:

> We find no systematic increase in unemployment for highly exposed workers since late 2022

It was fucked before AI became "mainstream" too. Companies overhired during and after covid.

Erm its been fucked for many years across many professions, it was just less so for software engineering in particular. Now entry into the S-E profession is taking a hit.

Also dont forget theres only so many viable revenue-generating and cost-saving projects to take. And said above - overhiring in COVID.