JZJacob Zinkula

1. Article · Jul 22, 2026 · Jacob Zinkula

   I'm a Microsoft software engineer. AI makes hitting my deadlines much easier, but I'm still skeptical it will replace me. (opens the original)

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   A Microsoft engineer says AI has made software development dramatically faster. He says AI still hallucinates, but it's made deadlines much less stressful. He shares why he thinks AI won't replace engineers who keep learning. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Rahul Devikar, a 34-year-old senior software engineer at Microsoft who lives in the Seattle area. It has been edited for length and clarity. I've worked as a software engineer at Microsoft since 2018. Over the years, I'v

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2. Article · Jul 6, 2026 · Jacob Zinkula

   $1 million a year wasn't enough to keep him at Google. Here's why some workers are looking elsewhere. (opens the original)

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   Google has long been regarded as a dream employer in tech. Some current and former employees say that reputation has become more complicated. AI startups, layoffs, and the desire for greater impact are reshaping career decisions. Earning nearly $1 million a year wasn't enough to keep Yousuf Imran at Google. In 2026, Imran earned $986,000 as a Google account executive, largely from sales commissions on top of a roughly $170,000 base salary. Even still, he couldn't help but notice the potential fo

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