The CTO Job Is Now a Rotating Door With an AI-Powered Spring

Engineering leaders at startups and mid-sized companies are increasingly leaving their roles shortly after joining, citing AI-driven unrealistic expectations, lack of credible AI strategy from their companies, and the appeal of fractional CTO work or founding their own ventures. Additional factors include burnout, 'founder mode' CEOs making the job miserable, and the accelerating pace of change that makes the role feel like low-ROI drudgery. The trend is anecdotal but widespread among senior eng leaders in SF and NYC.