人在美国，待过三家AI Lab，全凉了

Core Insights - Meta is undergoing significant layoffs, impacting even seasoned professionals like Tian Yuandong, highlighting the precarious state of the tech industry and the anxiety among AI practitioners [1][2] Group 1: Industry Challenges - The tech industry is experiencing a wave of layoffs, with approximately 100,000 job cuts globally [1] - The difficulties in industrial research are attributed to various factors, including corporate strategy uncertainty, the need to balance research with commercial objectives, and the alignment of research timelines with business cycles [24][25] - The allure of impressive demonstrations often overshadows the reality that research inherently involves failure [29] Group 2: Personal Experiences in Research Labs - The individual discussed their career journey, starting with a position at an international animation company's research division, which was later closed due to a 50% budget cut, leading to the loss of many jobs [6][20] - After moving to a startup AI research lab, the individual faced their first experience of layoffs, raising concerns about the lab's future despite having millions of users for their application [10][16] - The second lab also closed within a year, with the parent company being delisted from the stock exchange in 2022, indicating a trend of instability in the industry [20][24] Group 3: Research and Development Insights - The narrative emphasizes that the failures of these labs are not solely the fault of individuals but rather systemic issues within the industry [24][22] - The importance of understanding the motivations behind user engagement with applications is highlighted, as the target market may not align with the intended audience [12][16] - The recent surge in citations for Boyang Li's previous research indicates a growing recognition of the value of foundational research despite the challenges faced in industrial settings [30]