If there is no one under you, would you still be considered as manager. The new norm is promotion = new role + old job, guess that adding new role with minimal payhike had worn out so they resort to giving extra title to prevent ppl from throwing towel easily. Well this is kinda norm is half-way ai age, where top management sees ai as way to cut down workforces but still tinkering with the workflow, however they had ald freeze the total headcount.