Generative AI entered our work lives with promises of liberated time and heightened productivity. Yet in more and more conversations another melody is heard: fatigue. Not the classic stress burn-out, but something subtler – prompt fatigue.
Just like “Zoom fatigue” during the pandemic, it’s not the tool itself that wears us down, but the constant micro-performance. In this new paradigm, knowledge work is no longer about “finding and assembling,” as Forrester analyst Leslie Joseph notes, but about “asking and refining.” We are not only writing a prompt, but twisting, turning, scaling, and testing until the answer is perfect. Every question becomes a demand for the next question.
The False Efficiency
Here a paradox emerges: when AI provides a quick first draft, it creates the illusion of speed. But as entrepreneur Binny Gill describes, the process can feel like one step forward and two back—the model ruins something it previously did right, we start over, and frustration grows. What was meant to save time becomes a cognitive loop.
This is not just a productivity issue. It threatens deep learning. When we outsource our thinking, we lose the slow, rich neural connections that build expertise and wisdom. Just as we stopped memorizing phone numbers, we risk forgetting how to craft a response ourselves.
Social Bonds Erode
Prompt fatigue is also a social issue. When colleagues are replaced by bots, the “weak ties”—those spontaneous conversations that often spark new ideas—grow thin. Innovation requires cross-pollination between teams, but when AI becomes our constant interlocutor, we isolate. We get quick service but less friction—and fewer aha moments.
A Broader Work-Life Dilemma
This is bigger than AI. Zoom fatigue, notification stress, and today’s prompt culture are expressions of the same phenomenon: we are stuck in front of screens. Technology accelerates, but humans need pauses, nature, and the unexpected encounter by the coffee machine.
Paths Forward
-
Organize for reflection. Treat AI adoption as a psychological shift, not just a productivity metric. Create time to discuss how tools affect work quality.
-
Break tasks into smaller parts. As Gill suggests: trust but verify. Incremental deliveries reduce frustration and enhance learning.
-
Reclaim human meetings. Encourage “touch grass” breaks and networking outside the digital bubble. Let AI support, not replace, conversation.
-
Cultivate slowness. From remembering phone numbers to writing by hand—find small islands where the brain works analog.
Closing
Prompt fatigue may not be a diagnosis but it is a sign of our times. It reminds us that technological shortcuts must not become intellectual dead ends. AI can be a powerful collaborator, but only when we define the rhythm. We must reclaim the right to slow thinking—because that is where real value, innovation, and human meaning arise.
By Chris...