Performative Productivity and AI

AI is often marketed as the ultimate productivity booster—but is more activity really the same thing as more value?

In this episode of Talk to Me Petey D, we explore the difference between real productivity and performative productivity in the age of AI. Drawing on concepts from economics, knowledge work, and organizational behavior, he examines why the metrics we choose to measure can dramatically influence how people work.

Topics include:

✅ What productivity actually means
✅ Why measuring knowledge work is harder than measuring factory work
✅ The rise of proxy metrics like emails, meetings, chats, and tool usage
✅ How AI can amplify visible activity without increasing meaningful output
✅ Token maxing and AI usage incentives
✅ The risks of workplace surveillance and activity tracking
✅ Why organizations must align AI metrics with business outcomes
✅ How knowledge workers can focus on impact instead of appearances

Whether you’re a leader, knowledge worker, technologist, or AI enthusiast, this episode offers a thoughtful perspective on how organizations should evaluate productivity in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.