Proton is interviewing staff about their AI use, and their jobs could be on the line

“These new interviews are high-stakes.” The sentence, translated from English, appears in an internal email from Proton, the Swiss company known for its encrypted email service Proton Mail and its VPN. The US outlet 404 Media obtained the email and reported on it on October 26. From November 4 to 11, some employees will once again have to sit for an interview, this time about their use of artificial intelligence.

The stakes are clearly laid out. According to the excerpts published, the results could lead to changes in role or responsibilities, and could affect continued employment. The message states that any employment decision will be communicated separately, and that being called in or not “should not be taken as a judgment in itself.”

Who evaluates, and on what criteria?

The interviews will not be conducted by the employee's direct manager. The evaluators come from other teams, outside each employee's reporting line, and are chosen from among managers considered comfortable with AI. According to the email, the goal is to measure how each person is adapting to AI, and whether they have the skills and approach needed for Proton's “next phase.” The company says it expects “curiosity, judgment and a sense of urgency.”

The process started at the top. CEO Andy Yen first interviewed more than forty engineering and product managers. The exercise is now being extended to other employees, and it is unclear how many people have been called in.

“No layoffs,” Proton responds

Proton had not responded to 404 Media at the time of publication. The company then spoke out on Reddit, from its official account. It says it is not carrying out layoffs using AI as a pretext, that it is hiring widely and that it is short of talent. The interviews would serve to understand how teams are adapting to these tools, what support they need, and who will be able to lead this effort internally.

Several outlets note that this reassuring tone contrasts with that of the email, which mentioned employment. Other points remain unclear: which AI tools employees are expected to use, and how the company's confidential information is protected in those uses. The question matters for Proton, which sells businesses an assistant, Lumo for Business, emphasizing that it does not retain conversations.

AI, a new criterion for individual evaluation

Large companies are making more and more AI-related announcements. Microsoft offered voluntary departures to about 60,000 employees, as we reported, and British bank Barclays cited AI to cut 5,000 jobs. At Proton, AI is becoming a criterion for evaluating the employees called in, measured during an interview.

The interviews end on November 11. It remains to be seen whether they will lead to job changes, training or departures.