"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."
An eight-month UC Berkeley study tracked 200 employees at a U.S. tech company and found generative AI users worked faster but did not reduce total workload. Workers took on broader projects and voluntarily extended work into more hours. Task expansion caused employees to perform work that previously belonged to others. Blurred boundaries led to prompting AI during lunch and breaks. Cognitive fatigue and burnout offset productivity gains. Researchers recommend establishing an "AI practice" — intentional norms such as scheduled pauses and fostering human connection — to prevent short-term efficiency gains from becoming unsustainable overwork and impaired decision-making.
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