From Earning Rs 1.28 Crore to Delivering Food: An Engineer’s Struggle

A year ago, Shawn Kay earned approximately Rs 1.28 crore yearly as a metaverse engineer in the US. Now, at 42, he resides in a small trailer in New York and delivers food to make ends meet.

With 20 years in the tech industry, Kay has experience in virtual reality, web development, and artificial intelligence. However, after being laid off in April last year, his situation took a downturn. The excitement around the metaverse diminished, leading to a scarcity of jobs in that field, particularly due to the rapid emergence of AI tools like ChatGPT.

Although Kay has applied for 800 roles, he has landed barely 10 interviews, many of which were conducted by automated systems rather than real people.

Since losing his job, Kay has sent out over 800 applications. Yet, he has only received around 10 interviews, with numerous being automated, not human interactions.

In spite of the challenges, Kay remains hopeful about AI. He acknowledges its vast potential but believes that companies are misusing it by prioritizing cost-cutting over supporting skilled workers.

He perceives his plight as part of a larger issue. He warns that by laying off talented individuals to save expenses, companies may jeopardize their long-term growth and development.

With his savings dwindling, Kay is contemplating enrolling in short courses or obtaining a commercial driving license to start earning again, yet the high costs of upskilling are a significant barrier.

His narrative reflects the rapid changes in the tech landscape, and for many like Kay, keeping pace feels increasingly challenging.