This Week in Startups · Thursday, October 1, 2026
The discussion explored the paradox of AI's impact on workload. While AI tools like GrokBot can automate tedious tasks, making individuals more productive, it hasn't necessarily led to less work. Instead, it seems to have 'ratcheted up the intensity and duration of work' for many, as people are now expected to accomplish more. However, some roles, like show note preparation, have seen reduced workload due to AI assistance.
“But I do think that all it has done for a lot of people like ourselves is ratchet up the intensity and duration of work. And that is not quite what I had in mind when we got this amazing advancement in AI.”
“So you're getting three times as much done. You're maybe working twice as much, but you're not being replaced. So on the plus side, you still have a job. It's just harder now.”
“And now long, that's no longer the case. And we've done the modern thing and allowed really... agents to write a chunk of it for us because it's just collecting information and putting it down on the page. And I don't think you would go hire someone to prepare the show notes in the way we did when I was brought on. And I think that is a change in the example of less job.”