I was a software engineer who couldn't get excited about AI. Now I'm studying to be a nurse.
A former software engineer is transitioning into nursing after struggling to find work in a tech industry increasingly dominated by AI. She cites a lack of personal interest in AI and concerns over its environmental impact as reasons for her career shift.
Why it matters
This story highlights the shifting labor market dynamics in the tech sector and the growing trend of workers leaving the industry due to AI-related burnout or ethical concerns.
Cristina Estupiñán After hundreds of job applications and no offers, Cristina Estupiñán decided to leave tech behind. Her discomfort with AI made a brutal job hunt even harder as employers embraced the technology. Now 33, she's retraining as a nurse and finding hope in starting over. This as-told-to essay is based on conversations with 33-year-old Cristina Estupiñán of New Providence, New Jersey. Her identity and background have been verified. This story has been edited for length and clarity. I got a Bachelor of Arts degree in computer science from Boston University in January 2017. I had gone to college to study chemical engineering, but I took a computer science class and ended up switching majors. After graduation, I moved to San Francisco. A friend helped me get some temporary nontechnical work at a large tech company, but when that ended, I didn't have a clear path forward.
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