AI overuse can cause burnout and ennui for workers

Artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace is meant to be an ultimate productivity booster. A tireless assistant handling mundane tasks, freeing us up to focus on less boring endeavors,

But with AI tools now ubiquitous in the workplace, instead of taking parts of tasks off our plates, they’re sometimes adding to them. Welcome to AI burnout.

The promise of AI: more time, less stress

With an AI tool seemingly available for everything, promising to save workers time, it’s easy to get caught up in them.

Software that drafts emails, schedules meetings, analyzes data, and crafts content — all in seconds — is tempting. Companies jumped on this bandwagon, eager to simplify operations and cut costs. A study highlighted by the World Economic Forum suggested that generative AI could make cognitive workers up to 30% more productive over the next decade.

The reality check: more tools, more problems

However, the real-world application of AI tools hasn't been as seamless. 

A survey by Upwork revealed that 77% of workers felt AI tools increased their workload and decreased productivity. Instead of eliminating tasks, AI introduced new ones: reviewing AI-generated content for errors, learning to navigate complex interfaces, and constantly updating skills to keep up with evolving technologies.

Emily Rose McRae, a senior director analyst at Gartner, noted, "This hype bubble is just huge, and it's disproportionate to the actual impact the technology can have right now."

The double-edged sword of AI assistance

While AI can handle repetitive tasks, it often requires human oversight to ensure accuracy. Generative AI models are prone to "hallucinations," fabricating information that sounds plausible but is entirely incorrect. This means employees must spend additional time fact-checking and correcting AI outputs, negating the anticipated time savings.

Moreover, the pressure to integrate AI seamlessly has led to unrealistic expectations. Some executives, influenced by the AI hype, anticipate significant headcount reductions or massive efficiency gains. McRae shared an instance where a company's board expected a 20% reduction in staff due to AI — a target far from current technological capabilities.

Burnout with AI overload

The mismatch between AI's promises and its practical implications has tangible effects on employee well-being. The constant need to adapt to new tools, combined with the responsibility of overseeing AI outputs, contributes to increased stress and burnout. A survey highlighted by AI Business found that 61% of workers believe AI at work will increase burnout.

Kelly Monahan, managing director at the Upwork Research Institute, emphasized the necessity of human oversight: "A lot of large language models only operate at best when a human's in the loop and when there is human judgment and oversight."

Striking a balance: Integrating AI mindfully

So, how can organizations harness AI's benefits without overwhelming their workforce?

1. Set realistic expectations: Understand that AI is a tool to augment human work, not replace it entirely. Productivity gains are achievable, but they require time and thoughtful implementation.

2. Invest in training: Equip employees with the skills to use AI tools effectively. Proper training can reduce the time spent troubleshooting and increase overall efficiency.

3. Encourage open dialogue: Create channels for employees to share their experiences with AI integration. Feedback can guide adjustments and improvements in AI deployment strategies.

4. Prioritize human oversight: Recognize that AI outputs need human review. Allocate time and resources for employees to monitor and correct AI-generated content.

Monitor workload: Be attentive to signs of burnout. Make sure that AI tools are genuinely reducing workloads, not adding hidden tasks.

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AI platforms, automated summaries, and the illusion of efficiency

AI-powered platforms have flooded the workplace, promising to automate emails, summarize meetings, generate reports, and even predict workplace trends. At first glance, this seems great, because more time for something is always valuable. 

But AI-generated summaries, automated meeting notes, and "smart" workplace assistants aren’t always as helpful as they claim to be — they get it wrong, often. In many cases, they introduce new layers of work rather than eliminating it.

Platforms that can generate meeting summaries can sometimes leave employees re-reading full transcripts to catch missed nuances, misinterpretations, or flat-out errors. AI can struggle with context, tone, and industry-specific jargon, making summaries unreliable for important decision-making.

Similarly, AI-powered email assistants can draft responses, but many workers end up spending just as much time editing them to sound human as they would have writing from scratch. A survey by Slack’s Future Forum found that 47% of knowledge workers feel AI tools actually increase the amount of time spent revising content, not reducing it. 

And then there’s AI task automation, where tools are meant to streamline workflows by automating repetitive tasks, but when AI doesn’t execute exactly as needed, workers spend extra time troubleshooting, retraining the model, or manually correcting errors.

Instead of freeing up time, AI sometimes just shifts the burden from execution to oversight — leaving employees juggling more tasks than before. This results in more cognitive load, more stress, and more frustration.

When AI tools work well, they’re time-savers. When they don’t, they create a new category of digital babysitting.

Find its strengths: Use AI where it works best, not for everything

AI can handle mundane tasks, allowing employees to focus on more creative, or meaningful projects. But without careful consideration, AI can inadvertently contribute to increased workloads and burnout.

The key lies in balance. By setting realistic expectations, providing adequate training, and maintaining human oversight, organizations can leverage AI's strengths without overwhelming their teams. After all, the goal of AI is to enhance human potential, not to replace or exhaust it.