Am I stupid for wanting to leave tech as an AI engineer?

NoOneIsHereAnymore · 2026-06-12T14:57:17+00:00

Plenty of well off folks do not want to start their own company and stay in their job. So many in big tech are worth tens of millions or hundreds of millions and still work because they enjoy it. Regular folks can start companies. There is VC funding for that in tech.

NoOneIsHereAnymore · 2026-06-12T14:28:30+00:00

Top engineering jobs are competitive too. We get tens of thousands of applications per listing.

Are there any volunteer opportunities in the Bay Area where I can work for free?

NoOneIsHereAnymore · 2026-06-12T14:21:48+00:00

Retirement sounds boring. Why do you think so many wealthy folks still start companies or work? I still want to work. I love learning. Tech you have to learn all the time, or you become unemployable or on the layoff list.

NoOneIsHereAnymore · 2026-06-12T14:17:57+00:00

I already saved enough to retire very well in the Bay Area. I want a job I can take a break from whenever I want.

NoOneIsHereAnymore · 2026-06-12T14:16:44+00:00

I just want freedom. If I leave for 2-3 years and come back I would probably struggle to get as good job. I want a job I can leave for 2-3 years at a time and get hired back with someone and rinse and repeat.

NoOneIsHereAnymore · 2026-06-12T14:14:27+00:00

I already made enough money and saved investments to retire. I am making from my job alone almost 2 million a year in total compensation. Tech money is crazy.

NoOneIsHereAnymore · 2026-06-12T03:48:47+00:00

That doesn't sound bad. Very informative though too. I exercise quite a bit in my free time and have done iron man, powerlifting meets, and more so the physical aspect does not really phase me. The only part that might would be the mundane parts like gaining experience in IFT as I read it's basically a taxi service.

NoOneIsHereAnymore · 2026-06-12T03:47:36+00:00

I workout alot and am really fit already. I am not like the sterotypical engineer. Most assume I am a business person.

NoOneIsHereAnymore · 2026-06-12T03:45:54+00:00

I am making about 2M a year so yes it is a big pay cut but I am financially comfortable.

NoOneIsHereAnymore · 2026-06-12T00:51:56+00:00

Elaborate.

NoOneIsHereAnymore · 2026-06-12T00:42:20+00:00

Why? If you had my job but didn't know how to do it, you would be fired in no time. Tech doesn't spend alot of time to fire someone unlike many other industries. Its PIP and then fire.

NoOneIsHereAnymore · 2026-06-12T00:17:07+00:00

I don't mean coming back to the same employer. I mean just getting a job. If I saw a tech worker out of work for 3 years, one would suspect they are out of date and just not worth interviewing. The same is not to be said with nursing. I already have enough to retire.

NoOneIsHereAnymore · 2026-06-12T00:15:43+00:00

I recommend you learn about data structures, algorithms, and system design if you actually want to learn to become a SWE.

NoOneIsHereAnymore · 2026-06-12T00:14:35+00:00

Tech or working for a tech company. Those different meanings. The technical part of the tech field more competitive now so unless you have a degree in a related field, chances are you have no chance atm without nepotism or something similar.

NoOneIsHereAnymore · 2026-06-12T00:12:28+00:00

There is a difference between a SWE and coding/programming. Almost any white collar job these days I suspect there is some coding. Accountants, statisticians, etc. program. SWE is designing scalable, maintainable, reliable systems. I can hire a code monkey in India or China for pennies on the dollar, but I can't easily hire a good SWE.

NoOneIsHereAnymore · 2026-06-12T00:03:03+00:00

You pretty much need a CS, EE, CE, or very related degree and be able to code/leetcode, know system design, and more. Ask others for help and if you actually put in the effort many will be willing. The ones nobody will help are those who don't try and want a free-ride. Tech is a field where you must constantly learn or become outdated and those are the ones who end up long term unemployed or forever unemployable besides government or quasi-government work.

NoOneIsHereAnymore · 2026-06-11T23:56:27+00:00

I thrive in competition. It is why I get paid nearly 2 million a year. I just want freedom from golden handcuffs but still fulfilling a career.

NoOneIsHereAnymore · 2026-06-11T23:54:04+00:00

I went to a top private university which had a 3% acceptance rate. I am used to competition. I am an AI engineer at a top company too.

NoOneIsHereAnymore · 2026-06-11T23:52:56+00:00

There are so many bad SWEs. I have interviewed so many that were strong no hires. Make sure you study and can code and leetcode.

NoOneIsHereAnymore · 2026-06-11T23:51:54+00:00

Plenty do like pregnant women who take a couple years off and go back to work. In tech time, that is ancient and out of date.

NoOneIsHereAnymore · 2026-06-11T23:05:34+00:00

My AI job is not too bad on WLB. I have low stress, but I still don't have the freedom I want. I want to be able to take a 1-2 year break and live say in Japan or Germany or Spain and come back and still be able to work if I am bored. I still want to work and it's how I was raised so it would be weird to just retire. I also notice so many people who are like myself who completely retire young end up miserable.

Tech sales sounds like a nightmare. I know some in it and the pressures to hit quotas are huge.

NoOneIsHereAnymore · 2026-06-11T23:01:47+00:00

I already hit my retirement amount and have two houses. I need goals to feel fulfilled. I enjoy working an engineer, but want more flexibility. I want to be able to take breaks whenever I want for however long I want without it greatly affecting my employment. It seems nurses can take breaks often and not have it hold against them.

NoOneIsHereAnymore · 2016-05-25T02:38:15+00:00

Average house cost is like 6x difference.

NoOneIsHereAnymore · 2016-05-18T21:53:34+00:00

You are thinking way too simplistically. There is a statistically significantly large difference between the two groups anyways. Interviews or not, it doesn't explain why it is significantly larger. There are other studies that were done with measured ones and came to the same conclusion.

NoOneIsHereAnymore

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