Sam Altman’s Gratitude to Coders Sparks Memes Amid Tech Layoffs Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, sparked a wave of online reactions after posting a message on X expressing gratitude to software developers for their work. The post, shared on Tuesday, read: “I have so much gratitude to people who wrote extremely complex software character-by-character. It already feels difficult to remember how much effort it really took. Thank you for getting us to this point.” The sentiment, while heartfelt, quickly became a focal point for critics and humorists amid a backdrop of widespread layoffs in the tech industry. The timing of Altman’s post coincided with a surge in reports about major companies cutting jobs in the name of advancing artificial intelligence. Amazon had laid off 16,000 workers, Block (parent company of PayPal) had reduced its workforce by nearly half, and Atlassian had trimmed 10% of its staff. Meanwhile, Meta was reportedly considering another round of layoffs that could affect 20% of its employees. These moves, framed as necessary for AI development, have left many developers questioning the irony of their situation. Altman’s company, OpenAI, has been central to the AI revolution, training its models on vast amounts of code written by developers using traditional methods. Critics argue that the very tools and systems developers built are now being used to justify their displacement. The post’s tone, which romanticizes the painstaking process of coding, has been interpreted as dismissive of the ongoing challenges faced by developers. Some see it as a eulogy for the profession, with one meme captioning: “Sam’s eulogy for software engineers.” The backlash has taken many forms, from sarcastic quips to satirical takes. One popular meme joked: “Dear devs, you will lose your jobs forever and be forced to work in the coal mines.#amazon #atlassian #block #openai #sam_altman
Atlassian Layoffs Impact 63 Workers in Washington as CTO Steps Down Enterprise collaboration software company Atlassian is laying off 63 employees in Washington state, according to a WARN notice filed with state regulators. The company announced the cuts as part of a broader restructuring effort to shift toward an “AI-first company.” The layoffs affect approximately 10% of Atlassian’s workforce globally, with 1,600 employees impacted across the organization. CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes stated the decision is driven by the need to adapt to changes in the tech industry, particularly the evolving role of artificial intelligence in shaping skill requirements and job functions. The layoffs in Washington primarily target remote workers based in the state, with about half of the affected employees holding roles in engineering or data science. Atlassian’s Bellevue, Washington, office, which opened in 2024, is among the locations impacted. The company also announced that its Chief Technology Officer, Rajeev Rajan, will step down after nearly four years with the firm. Rajan, who was based in the Seattle area, previously served as a senior leader at Meta and Microsoft, where he oversaw engineering operations in the Pacific Northwest. His departure is accompanied by the promotion of Taroon Mandhana and Vikram Rao to key leadership roles within the company’s technology divisions. The layoffs reflect a broader trend of workforce reductions in the tech sector, particularly in the Seattle area. Other companies such as Amazon, Expedia, T-Mobile, and Smartsheet have also announced staff cuts this year. These reductions are attributed to efforts to address corporate “bloat” caused by the pandemic, alongside economic uncertainty and the disruptive impact of AI tools.#atlassian #mike_cannonbrookes #rajeev_rajan #taroon_mandhana #vikram_rao
Atlassian CEO's Layoff Letter Is Good News for Graduates Atlassian’s CEO, Mike Cannon-Brookes, outlined three categories of employees the company prioritized retaining during recent layoffs, offering a positive outlook for recent graduates in the job market. The software firm announced it was cutting 1,600 jobs, or about 10% of its global workforce, to redirect resources toward its AI initiatives. Cannon-Brookes emphasized retaining high performers, employees with transferable skills, and graduates, signaling confidence in their value despite broader economic challenges. The decision contrasts with growing concerns about AI’s impact on entry-level roles. Recent studies suggest that younger workers, particularly those aged 22 to 25, face heightened risks as AI tools automate tasks traditionally handled by entry-level professionals. For instance, Stanford researchers noted a 16% relative employment decline for early-career workers in AI-exposed fields. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has also warned that up to half of entry-level white-collar jobs could be displaced by AI within the next 1 to 5 years. Despite these trends, Atlassian’s hiring practices suggest a different trajectory. Last October, Cannon-Brookes stated the company was increasing its recruitment of new graduates, citing the need for fresh talent to drive innovation in research and development. He argued that graduates bring a unique perspective to software development, capable of reshaping the industry. This stance aligns with the firm’s recent hiring numbers: 95 new graduates joined in February 2025, and 108 were set to start in February 2026. Cannon-Brookes’ letter to employees did not elaborate on the rationale for prioritizing graduates, but several possibilities exist.#dario_amodei #atlassian #mike_cannonbrookes #anthropic #stanford
Atlassian slashes 10% of workforce to 'self-fund' investments in AI Atlassian's stock has dropped by over 50% this year, part of a broader decline in software stocks driven by rapid advancements in artificial intelligence. The company announced on Wednesday that it will eliminate 10% of its workforce, or approximately 1,600 jobs, as part of a restructuring effort to fund investments in AI and enterprise sales. CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes stated in a blog post that the decision aims to "self-fund further investment in AI and enterprise sales while strengthening our financial profile." Employees will be notified of their status via email. The cuts are expected to result in charges ranging from $225 million to $236 million and should be completed by the end of June. The company cited a significant drop in its stock price, which has been influenced by the evolving AI landscape. Atlassian, known for its Jira project tracking software, has been focusing on expanding the use of its Rovo AI features. In February, the company reported 5 million monthly users of Rovo, with Rovo credits integrated into its subscription plans. Year-over-year revenue growth has accelerated for the past three quarters, though the company has remained unprofitable since its 2015 initial public offering. Cannon-Brookes emphasized that AI is not replacing employees but is reshaping the required skill set and role distribution. "This is primarily about adaptation," he wrote, noting that the company is redefining how it operates to prepare for the future. Atlassian is also accelerating its path to sustained profitability, a goal that has eluded the company since its public listing. The workforce reduction follows similar moves by other tech firms.#atlassian #mike_cannonbrookes #jira #rovo_ai #block
Atlassian layoffs: Software giant to cut 1600 jobs amid AI shift Billionaire chief executive Mike Cannon-Brookes announced mass layoffs at Atlassian, cutting around 1600 jobs as the company navigates the challenges of an AI-driven industry shift. The decision, made via email, marked the largest restructuring in the company’s 23-year history, with Cannon-Brookes stating that AI is altering the “mix of skills we need” and reducing the number of roles in certain areas. Approximately 30 percent of the affected employees, or around 500 workers, are based in Australia, where Atlassian employs about 3500 people globally. Cannon-Brookes acknowledged the difficulty of the situation, calling it “among the toughest” for the company and expressing regret for the disruption caused to employees. He emphasized that the cuts were the result of a “thoughtful and incredibly thorough” process aimed at retaining staff with AI-relevant and transferable skills. Affected employees will receive a 16-week separation package, extended healthcare coverage for six months, and a $1000 payment for a new laptop. The layoffs come amid a challenging year for Atlassian, with its share price down 66 percent over the past 12 months to $75.45. The company’s financial struggles have persisted despite reporting 23 percent revenue growth in its most recent quarter. Atlassian has not recorded a net profit in a decade, with its net loss widening to $42.6 million in the latest quarter. Employee reactions to the layoffs have been mixed, with some expressing frustration over the lack of transparency in the selection process. One unnamed worker described the cuts as having “zero visibility,” noting that senior staff with strong performance records were let go while newer hires remained unaffected.#australia #ai #atlassian #mike_cannonbrookes #rajeev_rajan
