> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.cjchilvers.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# AI Burnout
- URL: https://www.cjchilvers.com/blog/ai-burnout/
- Published: 2024-07-28T12:21:12.000Z
- Updated: 2024-07-28T12:21:11.000Z
- Author: CJ Chilvers
- Tags: newsletter-issues, ai, newsletters, Productivity

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/93/30/933059b9-0a90-40a6-8ecc-04cdf152178d/content/images/2024/07/IMG_2267.jpeg)

One of the most beloved [Italian restaurants](http://www.francescosholeinthewall.com/?ref=cjchilvers.com) in the Chicago area has a different take on menu technology. No QR codes. No over-the-top printing costs. The menu is written on the wall. If you want it on your phone, you take a photo. 

Humanity is underrated.

[**Does AI decrease productivity?**](https://www.cjchilvers.com/blog/does-ai-decrease-productivity/)   
Executives say the opposite is true, but employees insist AI is adding to their workload. Workers say their bosses don’t understand what productivity actually means and it’s burning them out.

[**44% of Substack newsletters are dormant?**](https://www.newslettercircle.com/p/substack-newsletter-report?ref=cjchilvers.com)  
Newsletter Circle analyzed 75,000 Substack newsletters and found that 44% hadn’t published anything since April. When you consider how easy it is to start a Substack, you realize how few will remain active and how easily you risk being associated with less-than-desirable newsletters (and their practices). 

[**45 years 45 words**](https://x.com/tom%5Fpeters/status/1810320465606431102?ref=cjchilvers.com)  
Tom Peters, who was the Seth Godin and David Allen before Seth or David were famous, shares his life lessons. My favorite: “Hard” (Numbers) Is Soft (Abstract) = “Soft” (Relationships) Is Hard (Bedrock).

[**Why essays are the future of content**](https://www.cjchilvers.com/blog/revenge-of-the-essayist/)  
For AI scrapers, the less humanity involved, the more profit can be had — especially with advertisers who want to avoid controversy. Over time, that’s a race to the bottom. Essayists get to opt out of that race.

[**Email is the new email.**](https://x.com/p%5Fmillerd/status/1812667588951838925?ref=cjchilvers.com)  
Once again, the relevance of email is being questioned. It started with Nate Silver, who’s marketing a new book and thinks we’re a year or two from “peak newsletter.” I’ve heard “peak newsletter” a half dozen times since the late 90s and it’s never been true. Example in the link: Author Paul Millerd got a mention in a big newsletter this month and he detailed how it led to hundreds of new subscribers and books sold. This is compared to a viral tweet he had that led to \~2 book sales and no subscribers. Boring old email is still the greatest ROI possible online.

  
Thanks for reading! – [CJ](https://cjchilvers.com/?ref=cjchilvers.com)

P.S. Just a reminder: the paperback and Kindle versions of Principles for Newsletters are [now available on Amazon](https://www.cjchilvers.com/blog/principles-for-newsletters-paperback/).

P.P.S. I said goodbye last week to my writing companion of 14 years. RIP [Mia Puppia](https://x.com/cjchilvers/status/1815047920447623556?ref=cjchilvers.com). She brought so much joy to everyone she met.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/93/30/933059b9-0a90-40a6-8ecc-04cdf152178d/content/images/2024/07/GTBaKTEXcAAdV4Z.jpeg)