Watching some people use AI for software development right now feels uncomfortably close to watching people gamble. The behavioural patterns seem similar to me.
Every time you place a bet, you're chasing a hit of some feel-good hormone. You bet, you win, you get the rush, you bet again, you lose. You bet again, you win. Eventually, the bet that once created a feel-good rush needs to be bigger. The foundations of gambling addiction.
AI promised to give us back time. It's the root of the product's value. But why is nobody saying at 12pm they are done for the day? Where are the 10x'ers who do a month's work in 3 days? Oh they're at their desk.
I'm seeing people just pushing harder and harder, 20 bucks a month becomes 100 bucks, becomes 200 bucks a month plans. Like a 20 bucks bet eventually becomes an all-in bet. Hitting token limits provides the same warning you get after doom scrolling on TikTok for too long. One person said they hadn't left their house in 2 days because they were lost in the work.
And I'm pretty sure these people are placing microbets on every prompt. Hit? Miss? Close call? Roll the dice and prompt again! Every time the AI gets it right, you win. You get that feel-good feeling, you feel productive, you feel like a 10xer, you roll again, again, again.
Frustrations arise when the AI doesn't work, close calls create demand to keep focused and keep pushing. The near-miss effect is at play here - near misses and wins are almost the same thing.
If this is producing similar behavioural patterns in people, doesn't that mean these people eventually start taking more risks? Lowering judgment and producing faster with less scrutiny?