AI coding tools boost efficiency but cause burnout among programmers

As AI coding tools become common, programmers see big efficiency gains but also feel more exhausted. David Holz, founder of Midjourney, posted on X that his friends are 'insanely productive with the latest coding models but also totally drained.' He said this feels 'off but also like a huge opportunity' and asked for tips to reduce daily fatigue.

Former Meta engineer Shuming Hu noted that 'vibe coding' makes it hard to stay focused. Catherine Wu from Anthropic prefers using one AI agent for tough tasks instead of many at once. Designer Brandon Kenoa Jacoby thinks this burnout will 'get worse before it gets better' and suggests taking breaks from AI tools.

Many programmers say fast AI updates make them feel powerless to keep up. Entrepreneur Ben Solis shared his worry that even an hour of rest feels like wasted time. Some recommend offline activities like watching a tree or playing with kids to recover energy.