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Cloud Layoffs Explained: Who's Safe and Who's Not

PLUS: Chrome just got its own AI Mode

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In Today’s Cloudbites:

📉 Cloud Layoffs Explained: Who's Safe and Who's Not

💡 The Skills That Keep You Safe in the Age of AI

☁️ Online Cloud Events to Look Forward to

⚡ PLUS: Chrome just got its own AI Mode

Read time: 5 minutes

Hi friends, welcome back to Cloudbites

In this newsletter, we’ll break down the real reasons behind the recent cloud layoffs and what they mean for your career.

You’ll also learn which cloud skills are still in demand, and how to stay ahead as AI reshapes the industry.

Plus, we’ll cover Google’s new AI Mode update in Chrome.

CLOUD COMPUTING ☁️

📉 Cloud Layoffs Explained: Who's Safe and Who's Not

Cloud layoffs have nothing to do with performance.

Some of the best engineers are being let go, while their colleagues are getting raises and promotions.

These layoffs are not random, they’re the result of corporate politics, stock market pressure, and the rise of AI.

According to layoffs.fyi, over 150,000 tech workers got laid off in 2024, and the number is projected to increase this year.

41% of companies expect an AI-related workforce reduction by 2030, and AI is projected to become a $200 billion market by 2026.

This is the AI Paradox: companies are cutting traditional roles while investing more in AI.

Many of these companies start hiring again within months under new titles, often at lower salary levels.

Instead of waiting for a recession to hit, many companies are cutting their workforce early, it’s easier to blame “market conditions” now than to justify layoffs later.

💬 Want to know the full story behind these layoffs?

🎥 Check out my video on Cloud Layoffs Explained: Who’s Safe and Who’s Not, where I break down what’s really happening inside big tech, from AI’s impact on jobs to which cloud roles are actually safe.

💡 The Skills That Keep You Safe in the Age of AI

Who’s actually protected in this new era of AI?

The cloud industry is splitting into two groups: Vulnerable Cloud Workers and Protected Value Creators.

If your job involves basic administration or standard procedures, you’re in the danger zone. But if you’re solving complex, high-value problems without straightforward solutions, you’re safe.

Two roles are seeing strong growth right now: Cloud AI/ML Engineers and Cloud Security Engineers.

💡 My Advice:

To get started:

  • Assess your current role: Could it be automated or outsourced? If yes, start planning your pivot.

  • Choose one high-value skill: Commit to learning it over the next 90 days.

  • Build real projects: Set up a secure environment, automate deployments, or try new AI tools.

☁️ Online Cloud Events to Look Forward to

#1 AWS Edge Services Immersion Day (November 18, 2025)

This event is a hands-on workshop focused on improving your architecture with Amazon CloudFront and securing your applications at the edge.

Click here to register.

#2 Microsoft Ignite (November 18-21, 2025)

Microsoft's premier conference for developers and IT professionals. The free virtual experience focuses on the future of AI (Copilot), Azure, Microsoft Cloud, security, and hybrid multi-cloud solutions.

Click here to register.

#3 Google Cloud: Grounding your AI Agents (November 13, 2025)

This is a live webinar focusing on how to use Google Maps and Google Search as grounding services in Vertex AI to build more accurate and reliable AI applications.

Click here to register.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) 🤖

⚡ PLUS: Chrome just got its own AI Mode

Google just rolled out a new shortcut for AI Mode in Chrome on iOS and Android. You’ll now find a button under the search bar, making it easy to ask right inside Search.

💡 Here’s what you should know:

  • The update is live in the U.S. and will soon reach 160+ new countries, including India, Japan, Korea, and Brazil.

  • AI Mode now supports multiple languages and includes agentic features for booking events, appointments, and creating study plans.

  • With this move, Google is aiming to keep users inside its own AI ecosystem, instead of switching to ChatGPT or Perplexity AI.

THAT’S A WRAP

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Thanks for reading! 😊

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