source: simon willison: i am retiring from tech to live offline
level: business
chad whitacre, known for his work on open source sustainability, is retiring from tech and open source. he announced his decision in a typewritten, scanned letter, describing his plan to become 'ai amish' or 'internet amish.' this means rejecting ai and social media, and living more like it's 1980, while still using modern conveniences like cars and electricity. he sees this as a way to avoid technology that makes him feel like something he hates.
whitacre's move follows an intense experience with claude code and opus 4.5, where he spent three long days immersed in an ai-assisted side project. he felt intoxicated by the tool but later described a sense of unease, as if another entity was sharing his thoughts. this feeling, combined with broader concerns about invasive technology, pushed him to disconnect from the tech world. he compares his choice to the amish preserving a pre-industrial way of life.
simon willison, who shared the story, notes that whitacre has long struggled with open source funding challenges, which ai disruption is making worse. while the open source endowment will continue without him, willison expresses that he will miss whitacre's online presence. the decision highlights a growing tension between technological acceleration and personal well-being among developers.
why it matters: this reflects real burnout and ethical concerns among developers facing ai's rapid integration into creative work, which could affect open source project sustainability and tool adoption.
source: simon willison: i am retiring from tech to live offline