AI was supposed to lessen your workload, but it’s actually making you work more. That’s the finding of an eight-month study from UC Berkeley.
Researchers tracked 200 employees at a U.S. tech company and discovered workers using generative AI didn’t work less—they worked faster and took on broader projects, often extending work into more hours voluntarily. The main culprits were task expansion, with employees doing work that previously belonged to others, and blurred boundaries as workers prompted AI during lunch or breaks.
The result has disastrous implications. Cognitive fatigue and burnout offset any productivity gains. Researchers warn companies need an “AI practice”—intentional norms including pauses and human connection—to prevent short-term wins from becoming unsustainable overwork and weakened decision-making.
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AI was supposed to lessen your workload, but it’s actually making you work more. That’s the finding of an eight-month study from UC Berkeley.
Researchers tracked 200 employees at a U.S. tech company and discovered workers using generative AI didn’t work less—they worked faster and took on broader projects, often extending work into more hours voluntarily. The main culprits were task expansion, with employees doing work that previously belonged to others, and blurred boundaries as workers prompted AI during lunch or breaks.
The result has disastrous implications. Cognitive fatigue and burnout offset any productivity gains. Researchers warn companies need an “AI practice”—intentional norms including pauses and human connection—to prevent short-term wins from becoming unsustainable overwork and weakened decision-making.
Sign up for the Entrepreneur Daily newsletter to get the news and resources you need to know today to help you run your business better. Get it in your inbox.
