The recent AI revolution has created a stark divide in outcomes, according to Menlo Ventures partner Deedy Das. San Francisco is described as “pretty frenetic,” with around 10,000 founders and employees at companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Nvidia hitting retirement wealth of well above $20 million. Meanwhile, the rest fret that such figures are out of reach, possibly working their well-paying but low six-figure jobs for life.

Layoffs have become increasingly frequent, leading many software engineers to feel that their skills are no longer valuable. This has caused confusion about career paths and a profound sense of malaise surrounding work and its future.

On social media, reactions ranged from frustration to defensiveness. Entrepreneur Deva Hazarika argued that those in this post are “incredibly fortunate” but can choose happiness. Another user suggested the current cycle is “pretty damn novel & also kinda nasty,” as the same technology serves both as a lottery ticket and a means of unemployment.

The divide Das highlights raises significant questions about income inequality, career sustainability, and future job prospects in the tech industry. As AI continues to shape our world, such disparities could exacerbate social divides.