I am deeply sorry and heartbroken over the loss of Felix Hill.
His post https://lnkd.in/gmdutPqZ is a poignant reminder of the mental health challenges we face in the fast-paced and high-pressure AI field. Lately, I’ve also been feeling overwhelmed by the rapid advancements in AI, especially during conference season, with the flood of new papers and projects dominating social media. While it’s inspiring, it can also feel profoundly exhausting.
Reflecting on my experiences as a job market candidate last year, it feels like there’s an unspoken rule: to land a good position, you need a long list of publications. While faculty hiring committees and industry HR teams often claim, “We don’t count papers or citations,” the profiles of successful candidates tell a different story. Rarely do they have just a few papers. This disconnect adds to the stress many researchers face—pressure rooted in the evaluation system itself.
This stress is compounded by how the focus of research seems to be shifting. Years ago, publishing was about sharing ideas and pushing the boundaries of human knowledge. Now, especially in AI/LLM fields, research projects have become stepping stones for promotions, GPU access, internships, grant funding, high-paying industry jobs, startup opportunities, and more. The side effects of research have started to overshadow the original purpose. It’s no longer just about advancing knowledge; it’s about chasing the rewards tied to the act of research.
This reminds me of an insightful article by Prof. Ben Recht: https://lnkd.in/gJ8ZcZ-x. One quote from the blog particularly resonates:
"First you play the game to get into grad school.
Then you play the game to get a good post-doc.
Then you play the game to get a faculty position.
Then you play the game to get tenure.
Then you play the game to get into the National Academy.
Then you die."
In this fast-moving AI era, I hope we can all take a moment to find inner peace and reconnect with the true purpose of our work.
