I use AI to save time. So why am I working more?

This year, the author has been constructing an AI-driven social media production pipeline for the Autistic Culture Podcast Network, comprising 25+ shows. After a week of effort, they successfully programmed Claude Code to interact with NotebookLM, automating the distribution of content across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Initially, the AI system significantly reduced the time required for this task, but soon, it malfunctioned, forcing the author to rebuild the system.

During this time, the author also started working on a new AI tool to send out press releases, but the process was interrupted when they reached their credit limit.

The author reflects on the notion that using AI can save time, but they experienced the opposite effect. The task of troubleshooting and maintaining the AI systems consumed a significant amount of time, often leaving them feeling more overwhelmed rather than less. The author argues that the measurement of AI's impact is often reduced to a simple stopwatch, which fails to account for the additional work needed to make AI tools work effectively.

The author notes that neurodivergent founders often seek to use AI as an accessibility tool to better suit their needs, but they also highlight the challenges they face in workload management and burnout. A June report by the U.K.'s Lilac Centre, based on a national survey of over 600 neurodivergent entrepreneurs, found that 76% started their businesses to work in a way that suits them, but 79% reported difficulties with workload management or burnout.

The author emphasizes that while AI can help automate certain tasks, it also introduces new challenges that can increase workload rather than decrease it. They caution against solely focusing on the speed of output and instead encourage asking three critical questions: what task is being eliminated, what new work is created in its place, and whether the overall workload has decreased or just become different.

The author suggests that the best AI tool is one that frees up time for the tasks and activities the user truly wants to engage in.