“As firms increasingly incentivize employees to build and oversee complex teams of agents—for example, by measuring and rewarding token consumption as a proxy for performance—people are finding themselves pushed to their cognitive limits,” HBR writes.
In a nutshell, excessive AI use and constant multitasking lead to mental fatigue and strain, brain fog, problems focusing, slower decision-making, and headaches.
“Contrary to the promise of having more time to focus on meaningful work, juggling and multitasking can become the definitive features of working with AI. Unsurprisingly, workers are finding themselves up against the limits of their cognitive abilities when working this way,” HBR warns.
All of that additional mental strain leads to more errors, decision fatigue, as well as a bigger desire to quit. That being said, there are nuances: it’s not all black and white. AI can, when applied smartly, reduce emotional exhaustion.
HBR emphasizes that AI can actually help push back against burnout when it is used to replace routine, unenjoyable, or extremely repetitive tasks.
“This highlights the subtle-but-important distinction between the types of stress that AI can alleviate, and those that it may worsen.” Thoughtful applications of these AI-driven workflows can reduce work stress and improve social connection and motivation.
“If we can offload such unpleasant work to AI, we then have more time for more joyful, creative tasks.”
What is your relationship with gen AI like, Pandas? Have you given in to the hype? Do you hate how it’s affecting the environment and job industry? Do you see some practical use cases but remain wary of the over-the-top promises made by tech bros and billionaires?
What are the dumbest, weirdest, most interesting, and most disturbing things you’ve ever seen AI produce? Do you think that AI will lead to job losses or more jobs over the next couple of decades? What other concerns or hopes do you have?
No matter your point of view, we want to hear from you! Share your perspective in the comments at the bottom of this list.
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