Getting laid off at 24, rethinking success: Why one former Meta employee thinks AI is reshaping jobs faster than expected

For a generation that grew up believing that a job at a giant tech company was the ultimate career fulfillment, the rules of success appear to be changing. The rise of artificial intelligence is not only transforming industries, but is also forcing young professionals to reconsider the true meaning of job security, growth, and long-term career planning.For 24-year-old Muyan Chen, this realization came sooner than he expected. Chen, a data scientist who worked on Instagram at Meta, was laid off in May after less than a year at the company. In a personal account shared with Business Insider, she described how months of uncertainty over layoffs finally gave way to an unexpected feeling: relief.“When the day finally came and I was laid off, I said to myself: ‘This is it.’”

“It was more like relief than pain,” Chen told Business Insider.Living with the anxiety of uncertaintyThe weeks leading up to the layoffs were marked by speculation and constant fear. According to Chen, rumors of workforce reductions began circulating months ago, leaving employees in limbo.“Every Tuesday night, when I left work, I wondered if I would come back,” she told Business Insider, recalling how she would wake up early on Wednesdays to check her email.

Uncertainty continued until an official layoff date was announced. By then, many employees had spent weeks preparing for the bad news.“I feel like I finally lost my job because of AI.”What makes Chen’s story particularly relevant to young professionals is her belief that AI is fundamentally changing the nature of work.“I feel like I eventually lost my job because of AI,” she told Business Insider.As companies continue to invest heavily in AI tools and infrastructure, workers across sectors are increasingly wondering whether automation could eventually replace parts of their jobs.

Chen says many of her former colleagues are now exploring alternative industries or looking for roles that may be slower to adopt AI-driven workflows.However, she remains unconvinced that any field will remain unchanged forever.Stay away from the corporate ladderFor many years, working at a major technology company represented stability, prestige, and financial security. But Chen says the experience changed her outlook on corporate success.“I interned at three of them, and now I don’t want to climb the corporate ladder,” she told Business Insider.Instead of viewing the layoffs as a setback, she sees it as an opportunity to reevaluate her priorities.“I don’t think this layoff is a bad thing for me,” she said in her interview with Business Insider. “It’s more like a change in my career path.” “It makes me see that I can live a different life, maybe even better than corporate life.”Skills that AI cannot easily replacePerhaps Chen’s strongest message is directed at students and early-career professionals preparing to enter the rapidly evolving workforce.Drawing on her experience as a data scientist, she believes that routine and repetitive technical tasks are becoming increasingly automated.“If you only know how to code, it’s not enough,” Chen told Business Insider. “If you’re just writing SQL queries, using Python, or tracking and analyzing metrics, it’s not a promising career anymore.”Instead, she believes future professionals will need broader skill sets that combine technical expertise with business understanding, communication, creativity and problem-solving.“There is this emerging trend that requires us to have broader skills and knowledge because of artificial intelligence,” she said.Adapt rather than resistDespite her concerns about the impact of AI on jobs, Chen is not pessimistic about the future.

She has begun creating online content to document her professional journey and is exploring opportunities in professional training and AI-focused projects.She also remains open to joining an AI startup if the mission aligns with her values ​​and interests.For students and young professionals, her experience offers a timely reminder: In an era of rapid technological change, the ability to adapt may become more valuable than any single technical skill. As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the workplace, the most flexible careers may not belong to those who master a single tool, but to those who continue to learn, evolve, and reinvent themselves.