# From the people building it to the ones who have to use it, AI is creating all types of anxiety > Source: > Published: 2026-08-13 11:09:54+00:00 **The hottest new spot for tech workers is their therapist's couch.** A combination of layoffs, AI, and massive paydays has Silicon Valley questioning … everything. BI's Tracy Connor spoke to Silicon Valley therapists about how the people building the next great tech revolution are [feeling pretty rattled](https://www.businessinsider.com/silicon-valley-therapists-tech-workers-neuroses-2026-8). Tech workers have always had plenty of complaints about their jobs — from the long hours to the industry's cutthroat nature. But now they're getting a front-row seat to the disruption their inventions can cause, which can manifest in [colleagues getting the boot](https://www.businessinsider.com/employees-building-ai-tools-help-bosses-employers-lay-off-coworkers-2026-5). One therapist called it "complicity grief." How quickly this is happening has only exacerbated the problem. As we covered in [The Great Coding Reset](https://www.businessinsider.com/category/the-great-coding-reset) series, new AI models released late last year changed what many in the industry believed was possible in just a few weeks. Even those who've reached their professional peaks are struggling. The post-IPO glow doesn't last long when you realize chasing the dream was a way to mask bigger problems, Bay Area psychotherapist Annie Wright said. "Work is the most socially acceptable addiction," Wright told Tracy. **AI's still giving the rest of us plenty to worry about.** A top concern for employees and their bosses is [how to evaluate people's AI use](https://www.businessinsider.com/companies-grading-employee-ai-skills-performance-reviews-2026-8), writes BI's Amanda Hoover. AI leaderboards and tokenmaxxing have fallen out of favor, forcing companies to get creative when grading workers' AI usage. A big reason is that, to put it mildly, no one knows what the hell they're doing. A hypothetical AI directive might go a little something like this: *You definitely need to use AI. Just don't use it too much. We have a budget to consider. Unless it saves us a ton of money, which would be good. But we don't really know how to measure that either, so any help on that front would be great too.* The best evidence that everyone's figuring things out on the fly is what some executives told Amanda they value most: an employee who teaches their colleagues the best way to use AI.