Cloudflare co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Michelle Zatlyn says professionals who can create products and sell their value will be better positioned to succeed as artificial intelligence reshapes the global workforce.
Speaking to CNBC’s Julia Boorstin on the CNBC Changemakers podcast, Zatlyn advised workers to develop practical building skills alongside the ability to communicate with customers, understand their needs, and drive business growth.
Her comments come as companies increasingly use AI to automate tasks and restructure teams, raising concerns about the future of jobs across technology and other industries.
Cloudflare Restructures as AI Adoption Grows
Cloudflare, a cybersecurity and internet infrastructure company valued at approximately $100 billion in the report, has been adjusting its workforce as AI changes how businesses operate.
The company laid off roughly 20% of its workforce in May 2026, with cuts affecting areas including finance, marketing operations, revenue operations and recruitment. Zatlyn described the broader shift towards AI-driven operations as part of a transformation that could lead to redundancies across the economy.
The company also faces a growing cybersecurity challenge. According to Zatlyn, Cloudflare encounters approximately 234 billion cyberthreats daily, illustrating the scale of malicious activity targeting internet infrastructure.
She expects AI to handle as much as 95% of cybersecurity attacks within five years. However, she warned that the security environment could become more challenging in the short term before improvements take hold.
Zatlyn believes AI could eventually make security more proactive by helping developers build safer software from the outset, rather than relying primarily on fixes after vulnerabilities emerge.
Why Building and Selling Matter
Zatlyn’s advice centres on two complementary capabilities: creating useful products and convincing people of their value.
Building involves turning ideas into working products, prototypes or services. Selling involves understanding customer needs, building relationships and communicating why a solution matters.
She said both skills would remain important even as AI tools become more capable of producing code and other digital outputs.
The distinction is particularly relevant as technical and commercial responsibilities increasingly overlap. Companies are expanding roles that combine engineering expertise with customer engagement, including forward-deployed engineers who work closely with clients to develop and implement solutions.
For professionals, this means technical knowledge alone may not be enough. Workers who can use AI to create solutions and then explain, demonstrate, and deliver value to customers could have an advantage.
Cloudflare Expands Its Internship Programme
Despite concerns about job losses, Cloudflare is continuing to invest in early-career talent.
The company expects its 2026 internship programme to reach more than 1,100 interns, equivalent to roughly a quarter of its workforce, according to CNBC.
Zatlyn said the programme encourages interns to develop a hands-on approach by building and shipping products instead of simply directing others to do the work.
She argued that workers should use available tools, including AI-assisted coding platforms, to create prototypes, test ideas and demonstrate progress. Projects can then be developed further as they show potential.
The approach reflects a preference for practical execution, continuous learning, and measurable contributions.
How Workers Can Prepare for the AI Economy
George Kurtz, founder and CEO of CrowdStrike, recommends a practical framework for people entering the workforce and those looking to remain competitive as AI adoption expands.
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Build practical skills: Create a prototype, develop a digital product, or contribute to an existing project to demonstrate what you can do.
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Learn to sell your ideas: Practise explaining how your work solves problems and why customers or employers should care.
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Strengthen communication: Learn to translate complex technical concepts into clear business benefits.
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Use AI to accelerate your work: Apply AI tools for repetitive tasks while focusing on judgment, problem-solving, and delivering useful results.
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Connect technical and commercial thinking: Understand both how a product works and what makes people willing to use or pay for it.
AI Is Changing What Employers Value
The shift described by Zatlyn reflects a wider debate about how AI will affect entry-level employment, software development and cybersecurity careers. Research cited by CNBC has raised concerns about younger software developers and workers in occupations highly exposed to AI.
However, Zatlyn encouraged early-career professionals to view the current changes as an opportunity to develop new capabilities rather than assume traditional career paths will remain unchanged.
Her central message is that the ability to build something useful and connect it to real customer needs could become increasingly valuable in the coming decade.
As AI takes on more routine work, professionals who combine practical execution with communication and commercial awareness may be better equipped to adapt.
Source: CNBC