Stock compensation gives Big Tech workers a powerful reason to stay. Layoffs and the AI boom are changing the equation.

Big Tech stock compensation often motivates workers to stay employed long-term. However, recent layoffs have shown that stock gains are not guaranteed. AI boom offers a new chance at equity riches, either through joining startups or building them. After being laid off from Google, Rob Waters decided to start his own AI startup with his unvested equity.

Julie Zhu, who had been at Apple for four years, left to build a company on her own after saving up with her stock gains. Yousuf Imran, who had worked at Google for six years, left to start an AI sales tools company after building up equity. Dave Lewis, who worked at Google, Amazon, and Microsoft, said his stock compensation gave him the financial cushion to choose his next role carefully. Despite stock compensation's benefits, its financial security depends on luck and timing.