‘I went from ₹2 lakh to ₹40,000 a month’: Copywriter claims AI cost him his high-paying career
Artificial intelligence is becoming a bigger part of everyday work, and with that, conversations around careers are changing too. While some professionals see AI as a tool that can improve productivity, others believe it is reshaping hiring decisions and changing the demand for certain roles. A recent Reddit post has added another voice to that debate, with one copywriter claiming his career took an unexpected turn as companies increasingly adopted AI.
Redditor shares his career journey
The story was shared in a Reddit post titled “Went from 2L a month to 40k a month salary; the downfall of a lifetime.”The Redditor said he began freelancing eight years ago and landed his first full-time remote contract when he was just 18. Although he dropped out of college, he continued working, eventually became a lead copywriter and, by the age of 22, was earning Rs 2 lakh every month.
‘2026 was my curse’
According to the user, things changed completely in 2026, when he lost all his jobs and freelance projects within two weeks.“2026 was my curse. Lost all my jobs and projects, and my monthly income came down to literally nothing from the wuthering heights of a 6-figure salary, in a matter of two weeks.”He claimed the change happened as companies started replacing creative roles with AI tools.“Well, I was apparently laid off from my job because they decided to train AI and take native employees.”
Now working at a Hyderabad-based agency
The Redditor said he later joined a Hyderabad-based agency that handles marketing for Telangana Tourism. While he said he was grateful to have found work again, he admitted that adjusting to the lower salary has been difficult.“I’m being paid 40k a month, for a role bigger than my previous one, which used to pay me 2 lakhs a month. It makes my heart ache every day.”He also said he now helps spearhead the agency’s Telangana Tourism marketing strategy but feels dissatisfied with the creative culture around him.“People around me are poor on creativity. They work for the sake of working. No love. No passion… I do the work of five people now. I consider this the biggest downfall in my entire bloodline.”
Reddit users react
The post struck a chord with many Reddit users. While several sympathised with the sharp drop in his income, others encouraged him to treat AI as a tool instead of only as competition. Many also said that copywriters who continue learning and adapting to new technologies are likely to remain in demand.Disclaimer: This article is based on claims shared by a Reddit user and reports on the reactions they generated online. The Times of India has not independently verified the authenticity of the claims made in the post.Thumb image: Canva (for representative purposes only)
