Tokenmaxxing: cheap LLMs amplify the wrong AI mindset, not real skill
bendee983 · x · 2026-08-17
The author argues the gap between average and power AI users is the widest of any technology: most people use AI to amplify what they already do (more emails, images, code), and falling token costs only amplify this "tokenmaxxing" trend. The real skill is understanding how problems can be solved differently as AI gets more precise and better at tool use. Citing the Amazon recommendation example from Prediction Machines, he compares the shift to how electric motors redefined factory layouts versus steam engines: power users rethink applications from scratch with LLMs and agents rather than bolting AI onto old workflows.
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