AI Makes Developers Work More, Not Less, Due to the Rebound Effect

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Contrary to expectations that AI would reduce developer workload, many programmers report working more hours than before. This mirrors the 'rebound effect,' an economic phenomenon where efficiency gains lead to increased consumption rather than saved effort. Historian Ruth Schwartz Cowan documented a similar pattern with washing machines, which raised cleanliness standards and ultimately created more laundry work. AI lowers the activation energy for starting software tasks, making previously impractical side projects, refactors, and prototypes feel achievable. As a result, developers attempt more tasks overall, keeping their workloads full even as individual tasks become faster to complete.

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