In this episode of Workplace Economies, hosts Jon Kent and AJ (Adam) dig into a concept Jon has coined the AI review tax, the hidden workload burden created when AI-generated output bypasses proper review and lands on the desks of already stretched senior employees. Drawing on original research and a companion article published on Workplace Economies, they examine how the widespread removal of junior roles, often justified as an AI-enabled efficiency gain, is in fact destabilising the very workflow structures that make organisations productive. Far from reducing the burden on experienced staff, they argue, the indiscriminate adoption of AI tools is concentrating unmanageable review work at the top of the org chart, fuelling stress, poor decision-making and burnout.

The conversation broadens into wider territory: the collapse of the junior talent pipeline, the self-defeating logic of exponential growth culture, the limits of AI as a substitute for human context and judgement, and the emerging figure of the solopreneur; empowered and ultimately overwhelmed by AI productivity tools. Jon and AJ bring genuine founder perspectives to the debate, drawing on their own experiences building software products, and conclude with a characteristically direct assertion: nothing fundamental has changed in how good work gets done. Organisations that understand this and keep humans meaningfully in the loop at every stage, will outlast those racing to automate their way to the finish line.

AJ and I made the name change from intheOffice Cast to Workplace Economies to enable us to scale up and widen the coverage of subjects, topics, guests and to reflect the changes we are experiencing and seeing in the world of work. In short, we are evolving as we as entrepreneurs, business owners and individuals have over the last two years.

This short soundbite gives a little explanation as to the the thinking and reasoning behind the change.

Jon and Adam discuss whether the AI industry is heading for a dramatic crash or a slower deflation. Jon argues that as AI makes software cheap enough for anyone to build, SaaS companies will face relentless pricing pressure and the bubble will quietly shrink rather than burst. Adam pushes back, suggesting it's not one bubble but many smaller bubbles making up one large one, and that large platforms like HubSpot will be forced to pivot as smaller businesses become self-sufficient.

They explore the implications for software jobs, the dangers of moving too fast without review, and whether AI's rapid progress is outpacing humanity's ability to structure it responsibly.

• Why the AI bubble won't burst like the dot-com crash, but may slowly deflate as software becomes cheaper to build
• The HubSpot problem: when a small business owner can build a custom CRM over a weekend for £20, what happens to platforms charging £1,000+ a month?
• Adam's "mosaic of bubbles" argument: it's not one big balloon, it's many smaller ones being pricked from below
• How smaller businesses could become self-sufficient, cutting out the SaaS middleman entirely
• The snake eating its own tail: AI companies funding the tools that undermine their own customers' willingness to pay
• Why "pivoting" might not save legacy platforms built on monolithic codebases
• The Klarna cautionary tale: cutting staff for AI efficiency, then rehiring when customer satisfaction collapsed
• Where the real danger sits: people moving too fast, trusting AI output without review, and creating security vulnerabilities
• Why AI is a productivity tool, not a replacement for human judgement