An increasing number of students have pursued engineering degrees in hopes of becoming highly sought-after professionals upon entering the workforce. However, recent developments among prominent employers indicate that these aspirations may not be realized as expected. Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, disclosed that the $145 billion cloud computing company is maintaining its engineering workforce at current levels, attributing this decision to productivity gains driven by artificial intelligence. The company's hiring freeze impacts various roles throughout Salesforce, with the exception of positions in sales.
During a quarterly earnings call, Benioff stated, “We’re not bringing on additional engineers or administrative personnel; our focus remains largely on one area,” specifically mentioning that the company is primarily expanding its sales team, led by Chief Revenue Officer Miguel Milano.
He highlighted that Salesforce’s engineering staff has remained stable at approximately 15,000 for the past two years, and last year, he indicated that no new engineering hires would be made in 2025, due to advancements in AI. Despite the freeze on engineering roles, Salesforce's overall employee count has still grown, particularly in the sales area.
The company is actively seeking talent that can effectively market its diverse products, including customer cloud services and AI technologies, positioning sales professionals as a top priority in its hiring strategy. Benioff emphasized that while AI can enhance certain functions, it cannot replicate the nuanced skills required in sales, stating, “Agents can assist with qualifying and providing service, but excel in sales because the market demands a human touch.”
Although hiring remains subdued, there are indications that the freeze on engineering roles might be lifting soon.
Salesforce's decision to halt engineer recruitment underscores a broader trend of concern within the industry, where AI advancements and hiring slowdowns have stunted job growth for engineers. Benioff remarked, “For the past few years, we haven’t expanded our engineering team significantly. The stagnation is largely due to leveraging AI for greater efficiency. This year, with the integration of new coding agents, we’ve seen significant improvements.”
The challenges within the engineering sector are not isolated to Salesforce. Amazon’s layoffs last year, which affected over 14,000 employees, disproportionately impacted engineers, accounting for almost 40% of job cuts in certain states. Furthermore, Microsoft’s layoffs included a significant number of software engineers, marking them as the largest affected group. Research from Indeed Hiring Lab has revealed a staggering 49% decrease in job postings for software engineers compared to early 2020 figures.
Nonetheless, positivity may be on the horizon, as Indeed recorded an 11% increase in software engineering job listings year-over-year, according to Citadel Securities' 2026 analysis. Certain specialized fields, particularly those focusing on AI and cybersecurity, continue to thrive, while companies like Salesforce prioritize individuals who can adeptly navigate sales.
Despite the turbulence in engineering roles due to AI and hiring freezes, the potential for lucrative careers remains vibrant for those who can secure positions. The current wave of technological advancement favors specialists such as AI engineers, while some face uncertainties in an automating workforce. One software engineer shared with Fortune the challenges they encountered after layoffs, leading to significant lifestyle adjustments.
Many firms are actively seeking the benefits of AI, which has heightened concern within the sector. For instance, Goldman Sachs introduced ‘Devin’, an autonomous AI engineer, to enhance productivity, with the firm anticipating the potential to employ hundreds or thousands more alongside its existing 12,000 software engineers.
While companies may be reducing hiring in various areas, they continue to invest in their salesforce, keeping this career path promising. Sales roles, particularly those requiring face-to-face interactions, were highlighted as one of the top ten fastest-growing job categories in the U.S. for 2025, with LinkedIn reporting this sector outpacing nearly all engineering roles—except for AI engineers who claimed the top spot.
Benioff recognized the importance of sales talent earlier on; in 2024, he announced a plan to recruit 2,000 additional sales staff to meet the surging demand for Salesforce’s AI offerings. Additionally, approximately 66% of software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies indicated they would increase their sales hiring in 2025.
