Rust 2025: $400K Salaries, C++, AI & Why It's Not Everywhere (Yet) — Jon Gjengset Explains

Description

What’s next for Rust in 2025? In this in-depth interview, Jon Gjengset (Rust educator, MIT PhD, and author of Rust for Rustaceans) discusses how Rust salaries are reaching $400,000, how AI is changing the way developers write code, and why the borrow checker still defines Rust’s identity. We explore Rust’s real-world adoption, how it compares to Go and C++, and why despite all the hype, Rust still isn’t everywhere (yet). Topics covered in this Rust interview: • Rust salaries and job market trends in 2025 • AI’s impact on Rust development and software engineering • Why Rust adoption is growing • Rust vs Go and C++ — performance, safety, and real-world trade-offs • The borrow checker and how it makes you a better programmer • Why AI can’t (yet) replace software engineers If you want to understand where Rust is headed in 2025 and beyond, this is a must-watch conversation. 👉 Download JetBrains RustRover, the dedicated IDE for Rust developers - free for non-commercial use: https://jb.gg/JGrr25 00:00 Intro 00:26 What Problem Does Rust Solve? 01:17 What It's Really Like to Get a PhD at MIT 02:51 Why Jon Switched From Go to Rust 03:36 Rust's Paradox: Most Admired, Least Used 06:16 How Rust Organically Grew Inside Amazon (AWS) 09:07 Rust's Biggest Advantage Over Java and Kotlin 09:54 When You SHOULDN'T Migrate to Rust 12:46 Top Three Industries Where Rust Is a Clear Winner 14:44 The Pitch: Rust vs. Go vs. C++ 16:48 Why Jon Left the US Tech Scene for Europe 18:51 The Job Market for Rust: US vs. Europe 19:57 Rust Engineer's Salary: US vs. Europe (Real Numbers) 21:57 Working in Defense Tech and Why Rust is Perfect For It 25:18 Is It Hard to Hire Rust Developers? 27:27 "I'm Not Looking for Work in Crypto, Blockchain, and Web3” 28:42 Why Is Rust So Popular in the Crypto World? 30:59 The Number One Reason AI Can't Replace Engineers 36:25 What Developer Jobs Will AI Actually Replace? 39:23 Why It's Harder for AI to Generate Rust Code 40:47 Python vs. Rust: What's the Best Language for AI? 43:11 How Software Engineering Will Change in 10 Years 47:16 Why Rust is Better Than Go 47:50 When You Should Still Choose C++ Over Rust 48:26 Is Rust Only For C++ Programmers? 49:14 The Most Annoying Thing About Rust 50:30 The Borrow Checker: How It Makes You a Better Programmer 56:07 The Best Feature of the Rust Compiler 57:42 Is Cargo The Best Package Manager? 59:04 The Biggest Challenges in Rust: Slow Compile Times and Macros 01:04:20 Terminal vs. IDE 01:07:08 Is Rust a Good Fit for Modern CI/CD? 01:10:21 The Future of Rust: Is It on the Right Path? 01:14:40 Who Really Controls Rust: Community or Corporations? 01:16:36 What Happens if Rust Disappears Tomorrow? 01:18:53 Outro: Jon Signs "Rust for Rustaceans” Subscribe to Jon Gjengset’s YouTube channel for more in-depth Rust insights: https://www.youtube.com/@JonGjengset Hashtags: #RustLang #RustProgramming #JonGjengset #RustRover #JetBrains #Programming #SoftwareDevelopment #AI #Cybersecurity #DevTools