"AI can produce measurable gains within isolated tasks. Its deeper impact emerges in expanded scope, as narrowing knowledge gaps expand what people can confidently attempt."

Research of a ~200-person tech firm found that generative AI did not reduce workloads; it intensified them. AI lowered barriers to tasks (task expansion), blurred boundaries between work and non-work, and increased multitasking—producing faster pace and wider scope but also workload creep, cognitive fatigue, and risk of burnout. The authors recommend organizations adopt an “AI practice” (intentional pauses, sequencing of work, and human grounding) to prevent unsustainable intensification and preserve decision quality.