Key facts
- A 24-year-old Meta data scientist, Moyan Chen, was laid off in May.
- Chen believes artificial intelligence contributed to her job loss.
- She described the layoff as a relief after weeks of uncertainty.
- Chen questions the long-term security of traditional big tech jobs due to AI.
- She noted AI's increasing accuracy in tasks like writing SQL queries and analyzing data.
- Chen is now exploring career coaching and potentially joining an AI startup.
Moyan Chen, a 24-year-old data scientist at Meta, has shared her perspective following her layoff in May, suggesting that artificial intelligence played a role in her job loss and is fundamentally reshaping the technology sector. Chen, who worked at Meta for less than a year, described the period of uncertainty leading up to the layoffs as more stressful than the actual event, stating that her termination brought a sense of relief.
Chen believes that routine tasks performed by data scientists, such as writing SQL queries and analyzing basic data, are becoming less valuable due to advancements in AI tools. She noted that AI-generated outputs have become highly accurate, sometimes to the point where manual verification is not always necessary. This shift, she posits, necessitates that future data scientists possess broader knowledge, including business acumen and strategic thinking, rather than solely focusing on technical skills.
The experience has led Chen to question the long-term stability of careers in big tech, comparing the industry's rapid evolution due to AI to a large ship facing a storm. She is now exploring new career paths, including career coaching and potentially joining an AI startup, viewing traditional data analytics roles as a greater long-term risk than the uncertainties of startups.