I’ve been reflecting on the recent wave of layoffs in the tech industry and how they might be affecting SDET roles, particularly in the context of the growing influence of AI. As a Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET), I’m concerned about whether my role is becoming redundant as companies streamline their operations and integrate AI into their processes. I’ve noticed that many organizations seem to be merging QA responsibilities into development teams, which raises questions about the future of dedicated SDET positions. It feels like there’s a trend towards expecting developers to manage the entire testing lifecycle, which could dilute the focus on quality assurance. I’m curious to know if others in the industry are seeing SDETs being laid off at a higher rate than developers. Are companies really eliminating SDET roles altogether, or are they just downsizing teams? I believe that SDETs bring a unique problem-solving mindset to the table, considering edge cases and potential failures that might be overlooked otherwise. With AI making it easier to automate testing and generate code, I wonder if organizations are questioning the necessity of having dedicated SDETs. It’s a challenging time, and I’d love to hear from anyone who has insights on this, especially those who have experienced layoffs or restructuring in their companies.