‘Went from ₹2 lakh a month to ₹40,000 salary’: Copywriter blames AI for career downfall
Copywriter Blames AI After Salary Drop From ₹2 Lakh to ₹40,000
Bharatmorningnews.com – Went from 2 lakh a month to ₹40,000 — a Hyderabad-based copywriter has shared his career journey, attributing his financial setback to artificial intelligence. His viral post, titled “Went from 2l a month to 40k a month salary; the downfall of a lifetime,” revealed that he lost every client and position within weeks before accepting a reduced-salary role at a local agency.
The content creator began freelancing eight years ago. At just eighteen, he landed his first full-time remote job. By twenty-two, he was earning ₹2 lakh monthly while working from home. However, he believes 2026 marked a significant turning point in his career trajectory.
“2026 was my curse. Lost all my jobs and projects, and my monthly income came down to literally nothing from the wuthering heights of a 6-figure salary, in a matter of two weeks,” he wrote in his post.
Despite leaving college without completing his degree, he built his professional life from scratch, eventually becoming a lead copywriter. According to him, the AI revolution disrupted this upward path. He noted that his employer opted to train artificial intelligence systems and retain native staff members instead.
Accepting a Lower-Paid Role
Afterward, he joined a Hyderabad agency handling Telangana Tourism’s promotional campaigns. While grateful to have employment, the compensation surprised him. “I’m being paid 40k a month, for a role bigger than my previous one, which used to pay me 2 lakhs a month. It makes my heart ache every day,” he shared.
Currently, he helps direct the agency’s marketing approach for Telangana Tourism. Nevertheless, he feels undervalued and discouraged. “I’m one of the leads spearheading their Telangana Tourism’s marketing strategy. On top of the stinging money issue, people around me are poor on creativity. They work for the sake of working. No love. No passion. That kills my motivation. Even though I do the work of 5 people now. I consider this the biggest downfall in my entire bloodline,” he explained.
Community Offers Encouragement
His story generated numerous replies, with many readers suggesting the situation remains temporary.
One user wrote, “There’s a reason most of us study hard and get the safe route. Sacrificing the chance of more money though more riskier routes. You took the risk, got lucky and made money when the time is right. But it’s not always gonna be there. Changes happen in every generation and AI was the big change for ours.”
“My salary came down 1.2L post a year break due to personal reason. Was jobless for 10 months so took a lesser paying job. A thankless job with having to massage everyone’s ego! Happens, the point is to not lose hope and keep upgrading to jump as soon as good offer appears,” commented another.
“Chill out bro. Stop worrying so much. And don’t worry. A lot of people lie about their income on the internet. A lot of them are also gonna lose their jobs later in life with the advent of AI. Many have gone from 4-5 lpm to 1-2 lpm due to AI. Just upskill, network and you are good to go. Also start freelancing on the side once again,” wrote a third user.
“Na na, brother. You went from earning ₹0 a month to ₹40k a month. If you had the skills to get someone to pay you ₹2L a month once, those skills haven’t disappeared. I’m sure you’ll be back there before you know it,” said another.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What year did the copywriter experience his career downfall? A: He stated that 2026 was the turning point when he lost all his jobs and projects within two weeks.
Q: How much did his salary decrease? A: His monthly income dropped from ₹2 lakh to ₹40,000 after accepting a new position at a Hyderabad agency.
Q: What is the copywriter currently doing? A: He is helping direct the marketing strategy for Telangana Tourism at a Hyderabad-based agency.
Q: What advice did netizens give him? A: Users suggested he upskill, network, start freelancing on the side, and remain hopeful as AI-related job changes are generational.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)