tech
I quit Google at 55. I felt pressured to adopt AI too quickly, and it was like I aged out.
A man who worked at Google for nearly 20 years quit because he felt unhappy with its AI policy.
TL;DR
- The author worked at Google as a test engineer for nearly 19 years, starting in 2006.
- He retired early at 55 due to feeling pressured to adopt AI too quickly and struggling to trust it for his work.
- His initial focus at Google was on 3D software, later moving to web applications, Google Now, and cloud software.
- By 2024, he observed Google's increasing focus on AI integration, including using AI for coding, which he found less engaging.
- He felt he had "aged out" of the company's direction and decided to resign in November 2025.
- After quitting, he discovered AI's utility as a productivity tool through personal projects, such as using Gemini to help plan World Cup attendance.
- He learned the importance of descriptive prompting to achieve desired AI-generated outputs, using an example of creating an image of Steph Curry.
- He is content with his decision to leave Google, feeling he is not missing out and avoids the stress of meeting work deadlines while adapting to new AI tools.