Kiran Maya Sheikh graduating Kiran Maya Sheikh

I've got some happy news to share this week. It involves a young computer science graduate named Kiran Maya Sheikh , who has taught me a lot about grit, determination, and the realities of finding a job in the age of AI .

Back in February, I wrote a newsletter arguing that people shouldn't panic about AI destroying tech jobs .

Kiran, who had recently graduated from the University of California, Irvine, wasn't impressed.

"It's bad advice to 'not worry,'" she emailed me. "AI is causing disruption in this job market. Employers are prioritizing hiring experienced workers, but not new graduates."

It was a humbling moment.

We arranged an interview, and Kiran told me about the struggle to land her first full-time job. She'd studied computer science partly because it promised financial stability. Instead, she was competing against experienced engineers, other graduates, and potentially AI itself.

"It's a bloodbath," she told me.

We've stayed in touch ever since.…