[ChrisbyMe]

Agree, the death of the junior SWE is greatly exaggerated. (At least in FAANG)

Maybe there was some idea that if AI actually solved software engineering in a few years you wouldn't need any more SWEs. Industry is moving away from that idea this year.

[groos]

The death, maybe, but not the lack of hiring. At $BIGCORP, where I work, I haven't seen an externally hired junior dev in at least 2 years in an extended team of ~100 people.

[Ifkaluva]

My prediction is that you will see that trend reverse soon. Have the teams become top-heavy?

[dragonwriter]

My prediction is that you won't see it reverse too soon, but that AI has nothing to do with it. It's just (for now, until the AI bubble itself bursts) a convenient scapegoat for people who haven't come to grips with the broad economic malaise outside of, but not caused by, AI.

[kingbiz]

Same, we have been in a "hiring freeze" for 4 years now. Contractor hiring via WITCH however has been booming.

[astrange]

We are hiring juniors again now and haven't in the last few years.