Microsoft recently announced significant layoffs, impacting approximately 6,000 employees globally. This wave of job cuts primarily affected software engineers in Washington state, where over 40% of those laid off worked in this field. While Microsoft cites organizational restructuring as the primary reason for these cuts, analysts are raising questions about a potential link between this layoff and the integration of AI coding into development processes. The company’s own CEO, Satya Nadella, revealed that up to 30% of their code relies on AI tools. This raises concerns regarding whether AI is automating programming tasks and potentially reducing the need for human programmers. While Microsoft maintains these layoffs are part of a broader strategy to streamline operations, this timing coincides with an increased focus on AI within its development ecosystem, leading to speculation about future job roles for programmers.