A developer is canceling their AI subscriptions after building dozens of projects using tools like Claude and Codex. The creator developed speech recognition systems, application clones, and various utilities, but found most were unmaintainable and served no practical purpose. The technology amplified ADHD tendencies, leading to scattered work patterns and shallow output across multiple simultaneous projects.

The author discovered that removing friction through AI eliminated commitment and focus, resulting in poor quality. Despite impressive technical capabilities, the tools promoted context switching rather than deep work. When asked about AI usage in interviews, responses revealed teams running multiple agent rooms simultaneously—a sign of the distraction epidemic affecting knowledge workers.

Referencing Cal Newport's concept of pseudo-productivity, the writer observed how digital tools create visible busyness without real value. The conclusion is straightforward: curtail AI use to preserve meaningful work. Quality output requires friction, focus, and commitment—qualities AI tools undermine by design.