Efficiency
Work has been immensely busy for the past few months. We released a new AI product for companies. The build up towards a major product release typically requires some extra work to iron out some pending issues. This is done especially if there are external date based commitments. Post the release there are usually fast follow ups.
I'm noticing an increased drive towards efficiency across the industry. Efficiency is now becoming a euphemism to get more done with less resources. The knowledge workers had gained slightly more power with the work from home movement. But now efficiency requirements mean that there is a constant drive to keep releasing at a fast rate. Estimates become deadlines. In such an environment, the easiest path to a solution will be taken which is usually to the detriment of long term quality. These costs will add up to be paid in the future. Not to mention the human cost of pressure for an extended duration. All this is happening while companies are reporting record profits. This trends have led to the new dictionary word - Enshittification.
With Trump winning the next US presidency, there is likely going to be an immense amount of change across the government. Almost all cabinet picks are disruptors of the agencies they are supposed to lead. Government is a monopoly and hence I welcome the principle of effecting systemic change. However, I am not optimistic of the net impact as of now. The US looks at business leaders and TV celebrities as trusted experts; but I do not believe success in one domain automatically translates to another.
Department of government efficiency is taking efficiency to the next level. It's going to be an interesting time following the news in the short term and reading about the impact of any changes in the long term. Making larger changes might break agencies in a way that they are not able to provide services to citizens.
The macro trend feels like the US is moving further towards privatization of critical services. Regulations around environmental protections, economic protections, monopoly regulations, might be removed. Shifting of responsibilities from the federal to state levels will also lead to further balkanization across various dimensions like healthcare.
Efficiency is not necessarily optimal.