💼 AI Doesn't Reduce Work—It Intensifies It

UC Berkeley researchers spent eight months inside a 200-person tech company watching what happened when workers actively adopted AI. They discovered that implementing AI tools didn't reduce work, but consistently intensified it.

Numerous interviews with employees showed that AI helped them cope with small tasks more efficiently and start new projects faster. In fact, all of them voluntarily introduced AI tools into their work—the company just paid for the services' subscriptions.

But eventually, the study found, people take on more work and communicate with AI even during breaks, at lunch, or right in meetings. Some send a "quick last prompt" right before taking a break so the AI can keep working while they are away.

As a result, employees are staying late at the office on their own initiative. Many are taking on more tasks, even those that they previously outsourced or avoided altogether. For example, designers are writing code, and researchers are working on engineering projects.

❗️ And although AI initially increases productivity, over time this approach can lead to cognitive fatigue and rapid burnout, the study authors, who are currently continuing their research, warn.

Does AI ease your workload?

❤️ — Yes, very much so
🤯 — No, there's even more work now!

@hiaimediaen