A 24-year-old former Meta data scientist says being laid off after less than a year at the company has fundamentally changed how she views a career in technology.
Moyan Chen, who lives in New York City, believes the rapid rise of artificial intelligence is forcing workers across the industry to reassess their professional futures.
According to a Business Insider report, Chen was among the employees affected by Meta’s layoffs in May after spending months facing uncertainty over potential job cuts.
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She said the period leading up to the layoffs was more difficult than the decision itself, as employees waited for clarity about their future with the company.
Reflecting on the experience, Chen said she now sees AI as a major factor reshaping the job market and influencing her own career path.
“Ultimately, it feels like I lost my job to AI.”
Chen said months of uncertainty before the layoffs proved more stressful than the job loss itself.
Rumors of workforce reductions began circulating inside Meta in March, but employees had little information about when the cuts would happen or who would be affected. The lack of clarity left many workers on edge.
“Some of my colleagues and I were dreading Wednesdays because Meta has sometimes laid people off on those days. So every Tuesday night when I left work I wondered if I was coming back.”
As speculation continued, Chen said she developed a routine of checking her email early on Wednesday mornings, hoping for updates about her employment status. Workers spent weeks waiting for answers before the company notified them that job cuts were scheduled for May 20.
When the day finally arrived, Chen said her reaction surprised her.
“When the day finally came, and I got laid off, I was like, ‘This is it.’ It was a sense of relief, not of hurt.”
The experience, she said, challenged the common perception that landing a job at a major technology company guarantees long-term career security.
Chen noted that many of the colleagues who lost their jobs alongside her are now actively searching for work, using professional networks and social media to connect with potential employers.
“A lot of my coworkers were also impacted, and they’re trying to find jobs. They are making posts on LinkedIn and asking for new opportunities.”
Looking at the broader impact of artificial intelligence on the tech industry, Chen compared workers to passengers aboard a fast-moving ship navigating uncertain waters.
“It feels like we are all sailing on the sea, and Meta is a huge ship that’s moving very fast. When the AI storm comes, is your next move to jump to a smaller, slower ship?”
While some professionals see industries such as finance as potentially offering greater stability because AI adoption may happen more gradually, Chen questioned whether any sector will be immune to the technology’s growing influence.
Despite losing her job, Chen said she has not felt overwhelming financial pressure. As a single person without family responsibilities in the United States, she believes she has more flexibility than many others facing similar circumstances. While she enjoys living in New York City, she said returning to China remains an option if needed.
The layoff also prompted her to rethink the value of pursuing a traditional corporate career. Having spent years working and interning at major technology companies, Chen said she no longer views large employers as the safest route to long-term stability.
Before losing her job, concerns about financial security kept her committed to the corporate path.
“How am I going to feed myself if I don’t work for a big company?”
The experience changed that perspective.
“Now I feel like it’s not safe anymore, like I can get laid off at any time.”
For now, Chen said Meta’s severance package has given her breathing room to evaluate her next steps. Before being laid off, she worked as a data scientist on Instagram, where she witnessed firsthand how AI tools were beginning to reshape daily work.
According to Chen, many routine responsibilities traditionally handled by data scientists are becoming increasingly automated. Tasks such as writing database queries, generating visualizations and performing basic data analysis no longer provide the same career advantage they once did.
“If you only know how to code, that’s not enough. If you’re just writing SQL queries, using Python, or tracking and analyzing metrics, it’s not a very promising career anymore.”
She believes the next generation of data scientists will need a broader skill set that extends beyond technical expertise. Professionals who can combine data knowledge with business strategy, product thinking and decision-making will be better positioned as AI takes on more routine tasks. “It got to the point where I wouldn’t check AI-generated queries because they have gotten so accurate.”
At the same time, she noted that AI still struggles with more complex work requiring judgment, context and strategic thinking.
The experience has also shifted her personal interests. Rather than focusing solely on AI as a technological breakthrough, Chen said she has become more interested in its impact on careers and workplace dynamics.
Since leaving Meta, she has been documenting her career transition online and sharing insights about how AI is reshaping employment. She is also exploring career coaching as a way to help others navigate similar disruptions.
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“I’m still in a transition period and don’t have all the answers. Seeing how AI is changing things, it makes me rethink the type of job I might want.”
Looking ahead, Chen said she would consider joining an AI startup if she finds a company aligned with her interests and values.
Although she recognizes that startups come with their own uncertainties, she believes remaining in traditional analytics-focused roles may pose a greater long-term risk as automation accelerates across the industry.
“Those companies can be risky, but staying at a big company doing traditional data analytics and reporting jobs just feels like I will be left behind. That’s riskier in the long term.”