There is a rule in economics called the "law of diminishing marginal returns." According to this rule, if you keep adding more and more of the same resource to a production process, after a while each additional unit will not be as productive as the previous ones. An input that was very useful at first will eventually start to contribute less and less. This idea applies not only to agriculture, factories, or production lines, but also to human knowledge production, learning, and technology use.
Today, artificial intelligence provides a very good example of this. When we first start using AI, its impact is huge. Tasks that used to take hours are completed in minutes, texts are easily written, and analyses and graphs are generated instantly. During this period, the "marginal benefit," or the efficiency we gain from each new use, is very high.
The Flattening of the Learning Curve
However, after a while, things become routine. We use the same commands and methods, and the results no longer seem as impressive to us. In other words, the additional benefit provided by each new use begins to decrease. This is where "diminishing marginal efficiency" comes into play. This is actually very natural: at first, the excitement of learning something new triggers the brain's reward system. But when we repeat the same thing over and over, this effect diminishes. If knowledge is not renewed, productivity also slows down.
In a sense, the "learning curve" flattens out. But there is a positive side to this process: diminishing returns do not have to be permanent. As people continue to learn new things, productivity can increase again. In economics, a similar process is called "technological progress." As technology advances, it becomes possible to produce more output with the same inputs.
Investing in Knowledge to Overcome Stagnation
On a personal level, this means investing in learning. Instead of repeating what they already know, people learn new skills and discover new tools. This raises their production capacity. For example, someone who only uses artificial intelligence to write will get bored after a while. But if that same person starts using this technology in different areas—such as data analysis, presentation design, or coding—their productivity will rise again. This is because they are now using the same tool in a broader context.
This means that the production function has shifted upward. Diminishing marginal productivity often stems from stagnation. Productivity declines when there is no new knowledge, no new experience, and no new ways of doing things. But learning breaks this stagnation. Every new piece of knowledge expands the system's boundaries.
Learning is not only a source of knowledge but also a source of motivation. — Kerem Barbaros
The Motivation of Novelty and the Role of Learning
Psychologically, this cycle is also motivating. The brain loves novelty; when it learns something new, it releases dopamine, making the person feel more productive and motivated. This shows that learning is not only a source of knowledge but also a source of motivation.
Ultimately, a decline in productivity when using artificial intelligence or another tool is an inevitable starting point. But this does not mean that progress has ended. On the contrary, that point of decline actually signals the beginning of a new learning period. Individuals or organizations that invest in learning change their mode of production. They no longer just do "the same job faster" but gain the capacity to "do new things." Thus, they transcend the law of diminishing returns.
Learning as the Most Valuable Resource
In today's information age, the most valuable resource is not money or time, but learning capacity. No matter how powerful AI is, it is the human desire to learn that ensures the sustainability of the productivity gained from it. In other words, it is not technology but the human investment in knowledge that is decisive.
Consequently, when productivity declines, one must continue learning rather than stop. Because every decline can actually be the beginning of a new rise. In economic terms, the law of diminishing marginal returns loses its validity where learning investment exists.