Why AI Makes Me Sad

Summary

In a personal essay, a programmer explains why the rapid spread of generative AI leaves him feeling anxious, displaced and alienated from the technology industry. He worries that coding agents such as Codex and Claude could turn software development into prompt-driven work, weakening craft, control and creativity, while students and workers rush toward AI jobs and the salaries associated with them. He also criticizes AI-generated art, music and writing, arguing that they are degrading online culture and making the web harder to trust. The essay points to verified accounts posting seemingly AI-generated replies on X and questions why platforms with advanced AI tools have not eliminated such content. It further argues that enormous AI spending has not produced obvious improvements in many everyday software products beyond adding chatbot interfaces. The author acknowledges that other people are pursuing the opportunities available to them and does not treat their choices as irrational. Despite his pessimism, he believes institutions could be rebuilt and that the technology sector may settle on a more stable role for AI within a few years. He hopes an eventual correction in the industry will restore a sense of meaningful work, even while recognizing that this hope is personal and uncertain.