Last week, the concept of AI psychosis was introduced, highlighting three different situations where the term applies: genuine psychotic experiences related to LLM use, hyperengagement with AI tools accompanied by a softer disconnection from reality, and maladaptive relationships with AI chatbots that mimic human connection. This week, the focus shifts to prolific AI psychosis, a phenomenon where a person generates a large quantity of AI output without significantly increasing the real value of their work.

Prolific AI psychosis can be observed in software engineers who produce thousands of lines of code every day, but the code itself has little real-world utility. In contrast, a productive developer may create less code, but the created code is valuable to users and to their organization. The problem lies in the subject's perception of their output: they can't assess the quality of their own work.

Current AI tools, such as those wrapped in an agent harness, pose a greater threat of prolific AI psychosis. These tools can work on complex tasks until a solution is found, making decisions, opening programs, accessing the internet, and writing software to help achieve goals. However, AI sometimes makes decisions that are impossibly bad, creating a tangled mess of code that is difficult to read and extend.

The development of prolific AI psychosis can be illustrated through a hypothetical example of a software engineer who uses AI tools to complete tasks 100x faster than ever before. As they become more excited and ambitious, they spend more time with computers and less time with people, leading to a lack of sleep and hyperfocus that draws them away from reality.

The cause of prolific AI psychosis can be attributed to several factors, including the slot-machine-style rewards of AI tools, individual factors such as ADHD and impulse-control problems, and cultural excitement surrounding AI. The narrative that AI will replace all jobs can also contribute to the phenomenon.

Finally, it's essential to recognize that prolific AI psychosis isn't just a problem for software developers. Anything that can be automated with AI can turn to slop with insufficient human guidance. Placing intentional boundaries is crucial in the AI era.

This article was written with the assistance of AI.
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