AI-driven engineers face increased workload and burnout, warns Django co-creator

A fundamental promise of AI is to relieve humans of tedious, repetitive tasks.

Simon Willison — known for creating both Django and Datasette with over 20 years in software development — finds some AI applications more tiring.

In a segment of "Lenny's Podcast," published on Thursday, Willison explained that using AI coding tools speeds up his workflow and aids in his research efforts.

However, it has intensified his workload, and he notices it before midday.

"Effectively using these coding tools requires every bit of my 25 years in software engineering, which can be quite mentally exhausting," he shared. "I can run four agents simultaneously, tackling different challenges. By 11am, I'm already exhausted for the rest of the day."

His experiences underscore an emerging challenge in the rise of AI: While promoted by companies as time-saving and efficiency-boosting, some early users find it makes work more intellectually taxing.

Willison noted this exhaustion has become more evident since last November, as advanced agentic AI systems and open-source tools have enabled the management of several autonomous processes at once.

He mentioned he and fellow developers have been finding it tough to achieve a balance between their work and personal time.

"We need to develop personal skills that help us recognise our new boundaries," he commented. "Many people I've spoken to are losing sleep because they're thinking, 'My agents could be working for me; I'll just stay up 30 minutes longer.'"

Willison is not alone. Scholars and critics, including authors from Harvard Business Review and Gary Marcus, a professor emeritus of psychology and neuroscience at New York University, have warned that AI tools might stretch workers instead of lightening their workload.

While operating multiple AI agents can enhance productivity, it also necessitates continuous supervision, they caution.

These concerns stand in contrast to some AI leaders’ vision, who claim autonomous agents will help relieve human workers of their duties.

In a March discussion, Vinod Khosla, a significant OpenAI investor, expressed his belief that most children today, by the age of five, may not need traditional jobs as adults.

Meanwhile, in February, Boris Cherny of Anthropic predicted that the role of software engineer will be largely absent in the US workforce in the near future.

When questioned about other AI-enthusiast workers, Willison stated he's "defending" developers, emphasising the intense dynamics can resemble compulsive behaviour.

Despite the negatives, Willison continues to utilise AI tools as they enhance his capabilities.

"I've gained more time, but at the cost of exhaustion," he acknowledged. "The level of tiredness from such intense work was a significant surprise to me."