# Nicholas Arcolano on why 10x the tokens buys only 2x the output

DevFeed: [Nicholas Arcolano on why 10x the tokens buys only 2x the output](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/nicholas-arcolano-on-why-10x-the-tokens-buys-only-2x-the-output-16035.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://workos.com/blog/nicholas-arcolano-jellyfish-token-maxing-diminishing-returns>)

Author: WorkOS

Published: 2026-08-05T23:48:14Z

Content type: news

Language: en

Sources: [WorkOS Blog](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/workos-blog.md>)

Topics: [AI-assisted coding](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/ai-assisted-coding.md>), [Artificial Intelligence](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/ai.md>), [observability](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/observability.md>)

Tags: [2026](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/2026.md>), [agents](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/agents.md>), [ai](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ai.md>), [ai-coding-agents](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ai-coding-agents.md>), [coding-agents](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/coding-agents.md>), [productivity](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/productivity.md>), [tokens](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/tokens.md>)

## AI overview

Nicholas Arcolano of Jellyfish discusses token-maxing, AI coding agents, and the limits of using token consumption as a productivity measure. Jellyfish data indicates that the top 10% of engineers are about twice as productive as the median while spending 10 times as many tokens, with returns thinning as spending increases.

## Source excerpt

Jellyfish Head of Research Nicholas Arcolano talks to Michael Grinich at AI Engineer World's Fair 2026 about token maxing, agent regimes, and real limits.