July 17, 2025: A viral Reddit post has stirred anxiety in the tech world, claiming that Microsoft laid off an entire development team in favor of a smaller AI-focused group. According to the post, the employee—who had worked at Microsoft for five years—was blindsided by a sudden calendar invite, informing him his team was no longer needed under the company’s new “AI-first” strategy. The incident has since become part of the latest AI news, highlighting growing concerns over automation replacing human jobs in major tech firms.
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The team, the Redditor said, was replaced with a compact AI pod as Microsoft aims to shift much of its coding to automated tools. “He’s shocked and angry,” wrote the poster. “All the talk about AI creating jobs feels like a joke now.”
The post triggered a fiery debate online, with users questioning whether AI is truly the culprit—or just a scapegoat for broader cost-cutting. “AI is overhyped,” one commenter argued. “This is just another excuse for layoffs.”
Others agreed, saying companies are chasing buzzwords to please investors, not build long-term value. “If AI really replaced them, the layoffs would be more selective,” another user observed. “Letting go of the entire team feels more like trimming fat than tech evolution.”
Still, some found the trend alarming. “This is scary,” wrote one user. “I heard Google is doing the same with vendor teams on Android Auto.”
As the “AI-first” movement gains momentum, questions are mounting: Is AI truly reshaping the workforce—or are companies just using it to mask deeper changes?