There it is. The last straw. My Tuta migration is complete.

If you read the Proton response to this article, it actually does seem like trying to figure out what's going on with business process in a big picture way. Senior managers are interviewing, too. Not all staff are interviewing.

Personally, I think it's just as much about seeing who can't QC the slop out off their code as anything else. Maybe. Or maybe I'm wrong, I dunno.

If you've got to prep for a job interview either way, then you might as well do a few more.

I already stopped giving a shit about Proton after the CEO praised Trump, members of Trump's cabinet, and the Republican party. Then claimed to still be "politically neutral"

Can someone just start a damn privacy-first email coop already?

I don't want your ai, make your email and calendar better

The AI stuff is so frustrating. I'm terrified to really talk about how I feel about it, because my opinions are too nuanced to be shared in a bullet point in a performance review. Everywhere I've been lately, it's been about how much you use something, not about your output.

I’m really pleased with proton’s service. This is, however, very troubling.

Oh cmon, now which email provider do i use?

So if I'm reading this right, Proton is re-interviewing their entire staff, focusing on how they've integrated AI into their workflow, and if they aren't using AI as much as management wants they're likely to lose their jobs?

That is extremely disappointing.

Posteo is suddenly looking very shiny.

They've been replying on Reddit and it hasn't made them look better. They say they aren't firing people and are just looking for people who can accelerate their work with LLMs. Like, sure buddy.

I'm sorry, WHAT??? I use Proton!!! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO DESTROY THEM, NOT JOIN THEM!

I truly hope we're being overly dramatic here because Proton has been a good service for me. I do not feel like moving everything to another service. At least I have my own domains, though.

To save people from diving into the Reddit swamp. Here is Proton’s response from a similar post over there:

Just to clarify, Proton is not doing layoffs and using AI as an excuse. We actually have a big shortage of talent and are actively hiring across the org: https://proton.me/careers#jobslist

AI is changing the tech industry and we, like everyone else, need to evolve our ways of working to remain effective in our industry, and to deliver features faster to users.

Proton exists to protect privacy and give people control over their digital lives. That commitment guides how we evaluate and use AI, including the tools we use internally. We see opportunities to build better products and work more effectively, but using AI requires judgment about privacy, security, accuracy, and where it adds actual value.

We are assessing how colleagues are adapting to these tools, what support they need, and who can help lead this work. We’re looking for concrete improvements in their work and thoughtful decisions about when to use AI - and when not to.

To do this, we’re in the process of figuring out who among our existing colleagues are the best future leaders, assessing whether everyone has the skills they need to take a step forward in a post-AI world, and making sure we are offering the support that is necessary, to those who need it, to succeed.

In the interest of transparency, the full email that was sent to some of our staff can be found below:

Dear,

AI is fundamentally changing how we build products and how we work. The capabilities Proton needs are evolving, and we must accelerate our transformation to remain competitive and deliver on our mission.

Getting this right is critical to Proton’s future. We need people who can translate AI’s capabilities into better products, stronger execution, and new ways of working—and who approach this change with curiosity, judgment, and urgency.

Last week, Andy interviewed more than 40 senior leaders across Engineering and Product to begin this process. We are now extending re-interviews more broadly to assess how people are adapting to AI and whether they have the capabilities and approach needed for Proton’s next phase.

This is also an opportunity to identify people who can lead the transformation. Those who demonstrate the ability to rethink their work, put AI into practice, and help others adapt may have opportunities to take on greater responsibility, accelerate their development as leaders, and shape Proton’s future.

What does this mean for you?
• Not everyone may be invited to a re-interview.
Given the scale and timeframe, interviews will be prioritized based on the organization’s assessment needs. Whether you receive an invitation should not, on its own, be interpreted as an individual outcome. Any decisions affecting your employment will be communicated separately.
• For those that get invited, re-interviews will take place November 4–11.
Further details about scheduling, format, and preparation will be shared centrally.
• Your interviewer will be outside your team and reporting line.
Interviewers will be selected from a pool of leaders who demonstrate strong AI capability and have aligned on the assessment criteria.
• Expect a discussion about how you think and work.
We want to understand how you apply AI to real problems, how it has changed your approach, where you see opportunities to improve, and how you expect your role to evolve.
• Come prepared with concrete examples.
Be ready to discuss what you have changed in your work, the results, what you have learned, what has not worked, and what you would do differently. A list of tools alone will not demonstrate this.
• Your ability to adapt matters alongside your current capabilities.
We will explore how you learn, challenge established ways of working, exercise judgment, and act on the opportunities AI creates.

What are the consequences?
These re-interviews are consequential. Interviewers will document their assessments, which will inform the broader review of our organization and talent. That review may lead to changes in roles, responsibilities, and continued employment. Individual outcomes will be communicated directly once decisions are finalized.
The process will also help us identify people ready to take on broader scope and leadership responsibilities as Proton evolves.

We recognize that this process creates uncertainty. We will be clear about what has been decided and what remains open, and communicate individual outcomes as soon as we can.
Please take the re-interview seriously and come prepared to discuss your actual work, your experience with AI, and how you can contribute to Proton’s next phase.

Today at 4pm CET, there will be a call for recipients of this email to answer a few more logistical questions.

The meeting will be taking place on this Proton Meet Link

Best,

AI policies are so dumb. You don't evaluate people's perfs on how much they use a tool. So what's the damn end goal of such evaluation??

"Hey! I did nothing useful this year, but all with AI! -You're promoted!!

I fixed hundreds of bugs and developed 3 new features all cheered by users! -With AI? -Err... not much -You're fired!!"

Wow proton give it at least a decade before you start to enshit.... Oh wait. Right on schedule it seems. Unfortunate.

The bubble can't pop fast enough

istg these imbeciles are going to get me to self host my own email server.

white hairs here i fucking come.