The article describes a distinct form of exhaustion affecting tech workers that differs from traditional burnout: rather than stemming from high work volume, it arises from constantly accelerating technological change that makes expertise obsolete, raises performance expectations without announcement, and creates persistent cognitive demands for verification and learning. The author identifies specific contributors including fear of skill devaluation, identity uncertainty when AI performs difficult tasks, unrelenting vigilance over tool outputs, social comparison amplified by selective online sharing, and physical toll from sustained screen time and tension.

— via dev.to, James Anderson