> Why would I come into an office when I can just apply on a full-time remote position?

Because it's near impossible to get an interview at these places due to the number of applicants unless you have an in?

I can only speak for my company, but we interview every qualified candidate. Sure we may get 100s of applicants per position but 90% easily don’t read the job description and are just blasting out a resume trying to get hits.

The remaining ones will at least get a phone screen and if they have relevant knowledge and experience will proceed.

Agree, been working from home since 2011

>Why would I come into an office when I can just apply on a full-time remote position?

Because they will pay more, and/or the work will be better. Because with the current RTO push, it's very likely that the only companies still offering remote work in a few years will be companies that can't get staff otherwise, either because of pay or the work itself.

You already can't get a new remote FAANG job, the mid-level organizations will be next.

You seem to misunderstand the "current RTO push": it is motivated by bad management and organization and by real estate interests, even if it prominently includes important companies which, thanks to prestige and paychecks, plan to (and probably can) retain good enough staff after losing remote employees.

Remote positions remain, for the foreseeable future, a sign that allows distinguishing mature and/or modern good companies (probably good enough to pay well) from immature and/or decrepit companies (possibly profitable enough to avoid facing problems) with managers who "need" their pigs in the sty.