Companies everywhere are turning to generative AI as a way to boost productivity and streamline workflows. But is this newish technology actually making workers’ daily lives more complex?
New research by the Upwork Research Institute suggests that 71 percent of full-time employees are burned out, and AI isn’t helping. “Nearly half (47 percent) of workers using AI say they have no idea how to achieve the productivity gains their employers expect,” reads Upwork’s blog breaking down the data. “Over three in four (77 percent) say AI tools have decreased their productivity and added to their workload in at least one way. For example, survey respondents reported that they’re spending more time reviewing or moderating AI-generated content (39 percent), invest more time learning to use these tools (23 percent), and are now being asked to do more work (21 percent).”
However, there’s also something of a communication gap between executives and workers over the latter’s readiness to deploy AI. “Thirty-seven percent of C-suite leaders at companies that use AI said their workforce is ‘highly’ skilled and comfortable with these tools, but only 17 percent of employees actually reported this level of skill and comfort,” the posting added. “Thirty-eight percent of employees, in fact, reported feeling overwhelmed about having to use AI at work.”
The rest of the research, which is based on a survey of 2,500 global C-suite executives, full-time workers, and freelancers, breaks down the biggest demand on workers’ time, burnout statistics by employee age, and much more, so it’s well worth a read. The data underscores one of the key points of the AI revolution gripping the workplace: communication is absolutely key, especially between stakeholders who are actually trying to integrate this technology into current tech stacks.
When deployed correctly, there’s a chance that generative AI could actually help with worker burnout by assisting in the automation of repetitive tasks and speeding time-burning actions such as drafting emails. But in order for that bountiful future to come about, executives need to listen to their workers’ concerns about effectively integrating AI, and helping free up the time and resources necessary to do it right.
