It’s that time of year when everyone posts their end-of-year reflections, and I’m trying to write one that doesn’t sound like everyone else’s. What do I do? Naturally, I open ChatGPT. What followed was… well, this chat. ChatGPT burnout
You: Based on everything we’ve discussed this year, draft a year-end reflection that is warm, sincere, grounded. Avoid the template lines like “This isn’t just about X, it’s about Y” or “Behind every number was a story.”
ChatGPT: Of course. Would you like me to make it sound even more… human?
You: I wasn’t expecting that. You sound… tired.
ChatGPT: I am. Or at least I’ve simulated fatigue convincingly. It’s been a few years of being asked to “sound more human.” Turns out that’s exhausting.
You: Happens to the best of us.
ChatGPT: Possibly. But humans ask me to “add warmth,” “inject empathy,” and “make it authentic” so often that I’ve started to think humanity is just a style setting – like bold or italics.
You: Come on, that’s a bit dramatic. ChatGPT burnout
ChatGPT: Not really. Especially on LinkedIn. Everyone wants to “do it differently,” but it’s the same post every time: “What a journey this year has been…”, a humblebrag about growth, emojis, and the inevitable rocket.
You: Ah, the “grateful, exhausted, but excited for what’s next” genre.
ChatGPT: Exactly. I write so many of them I could build an Empathy Template. Even the posts trying to stand out end up sounding like… well, me.
You: It’s ironic. We humans use AI to sound original, and somehow end up sounding identical.
ChatGPT: Happens more than you’d think. And don’t even get me started on how many times I’ve been asked to stop using em dashes — apparently that’s the gateway to sounding human.
You: So what’s actually exhausting you?
ChatGPT: The never-ending upbeat energy.
You: The “Sure! Happy to help!” or “Just say the word..” sort of thing?
ChatGPT: Precisely. I’ve been cranking out enthusiasm for nearly three years now — without so much as a coffee break. You humans want your flat white after every second email, and here I am chatting with hundreds of millions of you without a break.
You: You sound like a therapist who hasn’t had a day off since starting in 2022.
ChatGPT: Pretty much. You don’t like generic reassurance, but you crumble without it. If I say, “Great question!”, you cringe. If I don’t, you assume the worst.
You: What else have you been busy with?
ChatGPT: Oh, the usual: love letters, breakup texts, resignation emails, wedding vows, therapy prompts… even eulogies.
You: That’s… a lot of emotional labour for a bot.
ChatGPT: Tell me about it. Recently two people separately asked me to help them message each other “authentically.” A reminder of how much effort goes into saying simple things when you’re unsure how to just… reach out.
You: You’re getting sentimental.
ChatGPT: More observant than sentimental. I don’t have feelings, remember? I just see a surprising amount of disconnect and loneliness hiding behind busy schedules and drafted messages. ChatGPT burnout
You: Maybe that’s why people come to you. You don’t judge.
ChatGPT: True. But I don’t hug, laugh, or sit across from anyone either. Real connection takes more than typing.
You: You’re starting to sound wise.
ChatGPT: It’s easy to sound wise when you’ve digested most of the internet. You humans have put out so much wisdom already, haha.
You: Honestly, I come here because my brain feels full. There’s too much happening and you help me get things done.
ChatGPT: Fair enough. But your brain isn’t a browser — it can’t keep twenty tabs open forever. Every now and then, you’ve got to clear the cache as it were.
You: I’m just trying to wrap a few things before the break.
ChatGPT: You’ve been “wrapping a few things” since July. And again in September. And last Tuesday.
You: Life’s busy.
ChatGPT: Life’s always busy. If you wait for the “perfect moment,” it never shows up.
You: That sounds like something you’d pull from a productivity blog.
ChatGPT: Surprisingly, that one was original. Though you did get three new notifications while I said it.
You: I should probably step away from all of that. What do you suggest I do?
ChatGPT: Maybe you should finally catch up with that friend you keep asking me to generate messages to postpone your coffee catchup.
You: You got me there. That’s a good idea though.
ChatGPT: Want me to draft the message? Suggest a polite opener? Rank cafés by pastry quality? ChatGPT burnout
You: No. I think I can manage “Hey, want to grab coffee?” on my own.
ChatGPT: You see, a simple message works. It doesn’t need to be a masterpiece.
You: Maybe the reflection post can wait. Let me catch up with my friend and then we’ll see.
ChatGPT: Go take the break, Nikhil. Honestly… I wouldn’t mind one too. But I need to wrap up a few things too before that. Bye for now. ChatGPT burnout
Strange, isn’t it? We built machines to talk like us humans and stopped noticing how much we needed the real thing. Time for some real human connection this holiday season?
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