The new numbers will ensure that no-one can practically max it in any decent time, and that even if you farm much less you won't be very far behind, but only a a few ranks at best, and if you want to catch up, you can get very close in rank again. So if anything, it should improve the aspects of social pressure and competitiveness.
On top of all that, Blizzard will also know that no-one can practically max it, so they have to design raids with a more realitic expectation of artifact level in mind, further reducing the "problems" with the old AP max level.