I think I have LLM burnout
alecscollon.com
July 9, 2026
2 min read
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65/100
Summary
Frequent interaction with LLMs can lead to burnout, even with average usage rates. Users may engage with models like Claude Code and Codex for coding tasks while actively reviewing and revising outputs.
Key Takeaways
- The author spends hours each day interacting with LLMs for both work and personal tasks, significantly more than in previous years.
- The author's job has evolved to involve designing code, describing it to an LLM, reviewing the generated code, and then writing code.
- The author experiences burnout from repetitive LLM writing patterns, including false assumptions and stylistic quirks.
- Despite frustrations, the author finds LLMs enhance productivity and values the ongoing learning process of using them effectively.
Community Sentiment
Positives
- My output as a solo dev has skyrocketed by 20x since working with LLMs, allowing me to tackle ambitious projects that once felt impossible.
- The quality of my work has improved significantly, with better test coverage and faster completion of long-pending features.
- I'm able to take on more projects than ever before because LLMs have lowered the barrier to entry, making it easier to start new ideas.
Concerns
- The pressure to keep up with LLM-generated tasks is overwhelming, creating a constant sense of exhaustion and burnout.
- Reviewing LLM-generated documents feels tedious and repetitive, leading to longer hours and mental fatigue.
- It seems like the LLMs are developing their own bizarre dialect that makes reading their output feel like taking psychic damage.
