If AI is doing our work, why aren't we working less?

We're outsourcing major parts of our job to AI, but we're working more hours than we were before. Is the problem AI, or us?

Are you working more or less since AI has become part of your daily workflow?

Many people feel they're working more, and Eric and John break down why in this episode. They start by explaining the two types of new work that AI creates:

New kinds of work

Doing existing work better and faster

Both are helpful, but often mean that talented workers either take on new work or are expected to produce more output.

What about AI creates this dynamic? The form factor and "personality" contribute, but boundaries are ultimately something we as humans have to draw.

They land with practical questions that will help you adapt and find balance:

What work matters most?

Am I tinkering or solving a real bottleneck?

Am I being intentional in how I use AI, or following the path of least resistance?

Increased ability begets increased capacity: You can do more with AI, but that means more will be expected of you, and that adds up to more hours. Productivity is good, but there's a cost.

Using AI at an advanced level is exhausting: AI helps us do more, but it isn't cost-neutral. Running multiple agents on multiple projects is draining.

You have to choose your stopping point: AI will always offer you a next step, so you have to decide when you're done with work for the day.

Eric mentions Simon Willison's early detection of AI exhaustion from running multiple AI agents at once, which drew deeply on his decades of engineering expertise.

John mentions the Eisenhower Matrix as a framework for prioritizing work.