Fable Took My Job

It's true. If large language models (LLMs) hadn't reached the level of marketed intelligence in Fable/Mythos, the author might still have a job. For a brief period, they were the last engineer, and Fable was cheaper than their compensation. The last vestiges of leadership were confident in Fable's ability to make them coast until M&A.

The author had experienced layoffs due to budget cuts before and had to justify their role to management. The team responsible for building a greenfield product was eliminated. The focus was on maintaining the status quo rather than resolving operational issues with the next generation of infrastructure. During a meeting, the author felt their soul crushed, and the next day, they attended a house party with two of their reports present, knowing they would lose their jobs with zero notice.

The author has experienced grief, and the fear and doubt for their future set in, making it difficult to sleep and function. They have heard that several others in their social circles have been laid off or received layoff notices in the last month. Large tech companies like one of the FAANG companies are also facing layoffs, with six or seven DevOps members affected.

The author also encountered a hiring manager who got laid off shortly after an interview due to a CEO's late article about AI changing software development. Another individual lost their team, despite actively interviewing in the USA, due to a top-down decision to offshore once again, even though AI assistance increased work capabilities.

The author believes AI is not yet capable of replacing experienced engineers, as the models lack the taste necessary for effective product decision-making. While the models can copy things across domains and push a rock up a hill, they are not yet sophisticated enough to make decisions and commitments with foresight, considering consequences weeks, months, or years down the line.

The author believes these models' capabilities are being exaggerated, and they are being used to convince those with money to spend differently on their fellow humans.