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- What CTOs Want from Engineers in 2025
What CTOs Want from Engineers in 2025
& Microsoft's $500M Savings
Code, But Make It Strategic
In 2025, CTOs are hunting for developers who think like mini product managers — engineers who not only build features but understand why they matter. Companies are prioritizing something else entirely: engineers who can connect code to customer value. Business awareness, cross-functional collaboration, and crystal-clear communication are now table stakes.
And yes, AI is the elephant in the codebase. Whether it’s prompting LLMs or embedding AI into products, devs are expected to be fluent in the language of models and automation. But here’s the twist: pure AI tinkering doesn’t cut it either — companies want folks who know how to apply AI smartly, not just play with it.
Ultimately, the most wanted devs in 2025 aren’t just full-stack — they’re full-spectrum. They’ve got the code, the context, and the curiosity.
YouTube Declares War on AI Slop
YouTube is preparing a crackdown on mass-produced, low-quality, and repetitive videos, many of which are created using generative AI tools. The platform is updating its policies to tackle what it calls "synthetic junk" — content that floods feeds, clutters search results, and undermines creator quality.
Fake, AI-generated videos about news events, like the Diddy trial, have racked up millions of views. In another example, a true crime murder series on YouTube that went viral was found to be entirely AI-generated, 404 Media reported earlier this year. Link for the Series
This move comes amid growing concern over AI-generated "slop" that offers little value but exploits the algorithm for views. YouTube will start demoting such videos in recommendations and search, and in some cases, remove them entirely. The goal? To safeguard viewer trust and ensure real creators don’t get drowned out by content mills run by bots.
Microsoft’s AI Overhaul
Microsoft recently implemented its third round of layoffs this year, cutting approximately 9,000 jobs—many in sales, marketing, and Xbox divisions—as part of a wider restructuring to support its aggressive AI infrastructure investments. Amid these cuts, the company announced that AI-driven tools saved over $500 million in call center operations alone last year, thanks to automation and productivity boosts in sales, customer service, and engineering while increasing both employee and customer satisfaction.
This restructuring also includes a major pivot in sales strategy. Microsoft is reducing headcount in traditional sales roles and replacing them with solutions engineers—technically skilled professionals capable of delivering advanced AI-powered demos, reinforcing Microsoft's mission to position itself as "the Frontier AI Firm".
Behind the scenes, the company is realigning its workforce to balance cost control with its ongoing $80 billion investment in AI. The shift reflects a broader industry trend: as companies invest heavily in AI, they’re streamlining workforce structures—especially in roles where automation delivers clear gains.