"We laid off engineers to hire engineers with stronger AI skills" is what 2026 sounds like when a company means "we laid off engineers to pay less." The AI wrapper doesn't change the trade, it just makes the wage cut quotable in the press release.

It's crazy that this still works for the companies. Anyone with any experience here knows whats happening. But the reporters can still just parrot whatever these companies say. Who cares if it's more lies, right?