When OpenAI released ChatGPT in 2022, Mostofa Adib Shakib knew the world was going to change.
He started his career in traditional software engineering at Snap Inc. and then ZipRecruiter, but became convinced he needed to build AI skills.
Shakib spent time learning about AI from books, videos, and research papers, and he built software projects to gain proficiency with agentic AI, such as a tool to help Bangladeshi professionals optimize their résumés.
In February 2025, he started an AI contractor role with Mercor, which, around the time of his interview with Business Insider, earned him a handsome sum of $6,400 a week.
Shakib decided not to go back to a full-time traditional software engineering job. He said he thought focusing on building AI skills before the market gets crowded was the right bet for him.
While being a full-time employee at a company offers stability and benefits, it would restrict his time, meaning he could only focus on gaining agentic AI skills on weekends, he said. As a full-time AI contractor, he can spread out his hours as he pleases, he added.
Shakib advised people interested in staying relevant in the tech industry to embrace change, rather than fear it, and to focus on upskilling.
Read Shakib’s full story here.
