As many companies push their employees to test out the AI waters, new research warns of the effects of diving too far into the deep end. According to a new study published in the Harvard Business Review, AI tools can increase productivity, but overuse can lead to mental fatigue that makes it harder to focus and make decisions.
The study, conducted by Boston Consulting Group, dubbed that mental fog “AI brain fry,” which sounds like it could be a sequel to The Silence of the Lambs.
The fog of more
Surveyed workers said they felt more productive when they used one, two, or even three AI tools simultaneously. But once a fourth tool was introduced, that trend reversed—in part, because AI agents are like children doing the dishes: They may be helping, but you still have to make sure they’re not breaking anything.
All of that oversight can be exhausting. One senior engineering manager in the study likened it to having “a dozen browser tabs open in my head, all fighting for attention.”
Some industries are feeling it more than others: The study found that employees in marketing, HR, operations, engineering, finance, and IT were most likely to report AI-related mental fatigue.
It’s not just brain fry
ActivTrak, which makes software that tracks productivity, also found that AI is having some unintended consequences in the workplace. According to the Wall Street Journal, when employees started using AI tools:
- They spent twice as much time on email and messaging (and probably picking the perfect emoji).
- But they spent 9% less time on focused work, like figuring out complex problems.
AI does save employees time, but…they’re just filling that space with more work, said Gabriela Mauch, ActivTrak’s chief customer officer. That can lead to short-term productivity gains, while also accelerating burnout and mental overload.
So, what’s the sweet spot? Employees appeared to be most productive when they spent 7% to 10% of work hours with AI, per ActivTrak.—BC
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