Tesler’s Law, which dictates that complexity is conserved in system design, is being challenged by Silicon Valley leaders attempting to automate business operations using generative artificial intelligence tools.

Key Points

• Tesler’s Law, coined by Larry Tesler at Xerox PARC in the 1980s, states that every process contains a non-reducible amount of inherent complexity.
• Modern smartphone applications have successfully shifted consumer effort to backend algorithms, logistics networks, and large-scale data centers.
• Tech executives are increasingly using generative AI to automate roles like product management, UX design, and software development.
• Critics argue that automating these roles ignores the necessity of human deliberation in identifying and solving complex user needs.
• Outsourcing intellectual burdens to large language models creates an infinite regress rather than eliminating the fundamental complexity of a business.

Why it Matters

Attempting to automate the human elements of business risks failing to address the actual needs of the target market. Companies that prioritize internal efficiency over human-centered design may struggle to deliver products that effectively solve real-world problems.