A prominent Indian software engineer raises concerns over AI advancements and industry volatility, cautioning workers against committing to long-term loans as job stability and salaries become unpredictable amidst rapid technological change.
A warning from an Indian software engineer about artificial intelligence and long-term debt has struck a chord with workers who fear that salaries and job security may not remain as stable as their loans. In a video that has circulated on Instagram, Princi Vershwal argued that professionals in technology should think carefully before taking on large, years-long obligations when the industry is changing so quickly. Her message was not that software jobs will vanish overnight, but that the assumptions behind a 10-year or 15-year financial commitment may no longer hold.
Vershwal said the pressure is greatest when a lay-off arrives alongside monthly repayments that cannot be paused. “Getting laid off is stressful. Getting laid off with EMIs to pay is another level,” she wrote, using the Indian term for equated monthly instalments. In the video, she urged software engineers not to rely on current compensation packages when planning for the long term, saying that pay levels, skills and even the shape of the profession could look very different over the life of a loan. She later clarified in the caption, “I am not saying software engineering jobs would disappear. I am saying 15 years is a very long time to assume our jobs, salaries and skills will stay the same.”
The broader concern is not limited to one social media post. Gartner said in June that AI coding costs could exceed the average developer’s salary by 2028, as companies consume more computing resources and move towards usage-based pricing for software tools. That forecast suggests that the economics of AI in tech are still unsettled, even as employers rush to adopt it. Separately, a Boston Consulting Group study highlighted by ITPro found that heavy use of AI can leave workers mentally drained, with “brain fry” contributing to mistakes, decision fatigue and higher intentions to quit, including in software development.
There is also evidence that AI is already changing the labour market in uneven ways. The MIT State of AI in Business 2025 report, as cited by Axios, found that the technology is hitting outsourced and offshore work first, while only a small share of jobs face immediate risk. At the same time, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics has said AI is likely to affect occupations where generative tools can replicate core tasks, including some roles in computer-related fields, though the long-term outlook remains uncertain. For many workers, that combination of rapid technological change and financial commitment explains why Vershwal’s warning has resonated: the risk is not simply losing a job, but being locked into debt while an industry resets around them.
Disclaimer: This article is intended to inform and educate, not to recommend or endorse any financial product, investment or strategy. Please consider your own financial circumstances and seek professional advice where appropriate before making financial decisions.
