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Web News: Was the Coinbase CEO Too Harsh? (AI Firings)

Author
Matt Lawrence and Mike Karan
Published
Sat 30 Aug 2025
Episode Link
https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/was-the-coinbase-ceo-too-harsh-ai-firings

In this edition of the Web News, Matt and Mike discuss Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong’s controversial decision to fire engineers who refused to adopt AI tools like GitHub Copilot and Cursor. After purchasing enterprise licenses, Armstrong gave employees just one week to integrate the tools into their workflows, even holding a Saturday meeting to enforce compliance. Was this “heavy-handed” approach justified, or did it cross the line? We break down the story, explore the ethics of forcing AI adoption, and consider what this means for the future of engineering culture.


Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/was-the-coinbase-ceo-too-harsh-ai-firings

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