Members of Technical Staff

The AI Anxietification of San Francisco

Feb 26, 2026
Ash (ashebytes), an engineer who speaks on tech culture and practical AI advice. They dissect SF’s AI-fueled anxiety and fast-moving vibe. Conversation covers GPT-4’s role in shifting norms, career identity stress as coding automates, and practical grounding habits like hobbies and attention control. They also push back on doomsday takes and note slower AI uptake outside the bubble.
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ADVICE

Exercise Daily To Ground Anxiety

  • Do work out every single day to ground yourself during AI takeoff.
  • Jayden describes daily exercise as a consistent anchor and references it as practical advice he gives interviewees to stay grounded in SF.
ADVICE

Build An Aesthetic Mind Palace

  • Cultivate an aesthetic mind palace as a deliberate break from building and anxiety.
  • Ash suggests engaging with film, photography, birdwatching or roller-skating to access creative relief that fuels better work.
ANECDOTE

Roller Skating As A Mind Palace Example

  • Jayden attended a roller-skating rink party and found being in that 'palace' nonverbal and restorative.
  • He describes light-up wheels and circling smoothly as an unexpectedly meditative experience that gave him relief.
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