Burnout among AI engineers is reportedly increasing as big tech companies continue the fierce competition on the recent technology.
CNBC reported that AI engineers from top tech companies are more prone to suffer burnout due to the pace and issues they face on their projects.
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AI Engineers Disclose Their Workflow Leading to Stress
An AI engineer at Amazon shared that they are often tasked to deliver projects on tight deadlines. However, several projects are often deprioritized and shelved once another AI project becomes more promising.
Moreover, other AI employees from Google and Microsoft told CNBC that they had to work at unimaginable speed as their employers feared falling behind the competition. The workers had to remain unnamed as they were not allowed to share information with the media.
Engineers and other significant roles often work under pressure to satisfy investors instead of solving problems for users. The majority of the employees shared that they are continuously chasing accelerated timelines and looking out for AI announcements from their rivals.
AI Companies Lack Concern to Users, Says AI Employees
Aside from working speedily, the AI employees also explained that most companies are more concerned about rolling out more features than securing the safety of their projects. For instance, they often lack the appropriate time to train or learn about AI, regardless of their background.
Moreover, several employees reported that tech companies often disregard surveillance and the real-life impacts of their projects. Potential harm to the planet, its users, and more is neglected to prioritize speed.
The intense pressure, long working hours, and strict mandates all contributed to burnout for the employees. These factors caused some employees to look for other jobs or opt out of the AI departments to avoid the immense workload.
Amazon replied to CNBC and stated that the company has been supportive of its employees. "It's inaccurate and misleading to use a single employee's anecdote to characterize the experience of all Amazon employees working in AI," the spokesperson said.
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