The AI jobs apocalypse probably isn't coming anytime soon • Hacker News Board

Re: The AI jobs apocalypse probably isn't coming anytime soon

#91

Post by AbsurdCensor » Sun, Jul 26, 2026, 12:21 PM UTC

FrustratedMonky wrote: post #13

Then what is causing hiring to be so low, or the layoffs? Just a soft job market in general? The economy is actually tanking, not just "AI" jobs. Did hiring managers just pump the brakes "just in case this AI thing is real". So we should see some big spike in hiring now that we know AI isn't going to do everything? Or, the actual real numbers of hiring, is for real an indicator that AI is already taking jobs, or redu…

In my mind it’s simple, at least in tech it was massive over hiring during the pandemic that is being reduced. In many fields though such as science it’s due to the federal government. Anytime there is economic uncertainty there will be less hiring and people holding their jobs without much movement upwards. Fresh grads or those in early or late career are screwed again, similar to 2008.

Re: The AI jobs apocalypse probably isn't coming anytime soon

#92

Post by AbsurdCensor » Sun, Jul 26, 2026, 12:49 PM UTC

elmer2 wrote: post #89

great_psy wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think to some extent is that the right candidates and employers are not meeting. Working at a ~1k employee company, we have been trying to hire both junior and senior devs. Out of ~10 interviews I conducted for junior, only 2 was able to program a linked list, and even that was with hints. It was not much better for senior(more system design question instead). I understand that leetcode questions are (and have been…

At some point, I think companies will move back to in-person interviews only with a controlled environment, to ensure no AI cheating.

I work in research and that’s how we’ve been doing interviews for years. Still difficult to find qualified candidates, but better than doing it all online and hoping for the best.

Re: The AI jobs apocalypse probably isn't coming anytime soon

#93

Post by AbsurdCensor » Sun, Jul 26, 2026, 12:51 PM UTC

rawgabbit wrote: post #52

FrustratedMonky wrote: post #13

Then what is causing hiring to be so low, or the layoffs? Just a soft job market in general? The economy is actually tanking, not just "AI" jobs. Did hiring managers just pump the brakes "just in case this AI thing is real". So we should see some big spike in hiring now that we know AI isn't going to do everything? Or, the actual real numbers of hiring, is for real an indicator that AI is already taking jobs, or redu…

CEOs say we are in a low fire, low hire economy. They view AI as important but not transformative. https://www.conference-board.org/topics/CEO-Confidence/

I would agree with that. With so much economic uncertainty, it doesn’t make sense to hire people, and if someone is fired or quits, they aren’t replaced. The biggest change I have seen is lower raises and resets to base pay now that the pandemic is over. It’s not exactly great for most people out there.

Re: The AI jobs apocalypse probably isn't coming anytime soon

#94

Post by Balinares » Sun, Jul 26, 2026, 1:27 PM UTC

Izkata wrote: post #84

irishcoffee wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Uh, wat? Edit: for clarification, it’s never been worse. See link. https://finance.yahoo.com/economy/articles/labor-market-data...

Labor force participation rate was worse during the 2020 lockdowns and the entire recorded period before 1976: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CIVPART Unemployment rate has been going down for the past couple months, even though it was already lower than it has been for most of the period since the 70s: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/UNRATE That Yahoo page mentions these as a source, but it doesn't link them,…

Charity / fundraisers, one-off under the table gigs for acquaintances, pooling scant resources with more roommates, skipping meals... It's been really bleak over there lately. The number of survival fundraisers I've seen floating around has exploded.

Re: The AI jobs apocalypse probably isn't coming anytime soon

#95

Post by lubujackson » Sun, Jul 26, 2026, 6:51 PM UTC

great_psy wrote: post #81

stasomatic wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A linked list is your litmus test? You did qualify with your "leetcode" blurb, but last I've used one was in college 30y ago and never again. We are not all kernel hackers / bare to the metal here.

What would be a reasonable question, that’s similar difficulty as implementing a linked list ? We have tried other questions as well, with similar results but perhaps our questions are outdated ?

Depend what your company actual does. More relevant tasks I have seen involve 2D arrays or transforming data from a Python dict, or parsing JSON. The idea is to test the ability to understand and manipulate complex objects, which is a good generic bar.

Re: The AI jobs apocalypse probably isn't coming anytime soon

#96

Post by stasomatic » Tue, Jul 28, 2026, 12:19 PM UTC

great_psy wrote: post #81

stasomatic wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A linked list is your litmus test? You did qualify with your "leetcode" blurb, but last I've used one was in college 30y ago and never again. We are not all kernel hackers / bare to the metal here.

What would be a reasonable question, that’s similar difficulty as implementing a linked list ? We have tried other questions as well, with similar results but perhaps our questions are outdated ?

I am just a hobbyist programmer, but asking to implement a linked list, IMO, is like asking to build a hammer - harvesting the wood for the handle, smelting iron, etc. We know what hammers look like and do, they haven't changed much in millennia.

I'd move the questions up the level of abstraction, as in - given this problem, how would you solve it? You have access to a hammer, a drill, a rotary tool. Solve it using any one tool or a combination and then explain why you chose that tool.