AIbase Report —— Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong revealed on a podcast this Wednesday that he has fired some employees who refused to adopt AI technology, highlighting the growing pressure on employees in tech companies to use AI tools.

Strong Push for AI Adoption

Armstrong detailed his "take-charge" approach. When told it would take two quarters to achieve a 50% adoption rate of AI tools, he questioned, "Why can't each engineer be officially onboarded by the end of this week?"

Subsequently, Armstrong posted a message in the company's Slack group, requiring engineers to "familiarize themselves with" AI tools by the end of the week. He clearly warned, "If you haven't completed it, I will hold a meeting with all those who haven't finished this task on Saturday."

On Saturday, only a few employees attended the call. Armstrong said, "Some had valid reasons, such as returning from a trip. Others did not have valid reasons and were subsequently fired."

Robot Artificial Intelligence AI

Ambitious AI Goals

Armstrong emphasized that this "tough" approach was intended to convey the importance and credibility of AI technology to employees. Coinbase has started monthly "Artificial Intelligence Bootcamps," aiming to have 50% of the code written by AI by the end of this quarter.

AI application is not limited to engineers; the design team has also "used it extensively." Armstrong himself said, "Even as CEO, I often use it."

Industry Trend Reflection

This move reflects the general pressure in the tech industry for employees to adopt AI technology. Google CEO Sundar Pichai previously asked employees to use AI tools more in their daily work. According to a Gallup survey in June, managers use AI twice as frequently as regular employees.

Although promoting AI adoption, Armstrong also emphasized that he does not expect employees to completely rely on AI: "Over-reliance on artificial intelligence is also undesirable. Code reviews must be conducted, and appropriate checks must be in place, along with human involvement in the process."

Currently, Coinbase has not commented on this.