This is how using AI at work “fries” your brain

A new study suggests that supervising multiple artificial intelligence (AI) agents at work makes employees much more vulnerable to experiencing mental fatigue.

The Harvard Business Review study included 1,488 full-time US-based workers at large companies across industries, roles, and levels. They were asked about their AI use patterns and quantity, as well as work experiences, cognition, and emotions.

The study discovered that supervising AI and managing more than three tools at once led to a dip in productivity and increased their mental load.

The findings confirmed the researchers’ suspicions about the phenomenon called “AI brain fry,” defined as “mental fatigue from excessive use or oversight of AI tools beyond one’s cognitive capacity.”

Some participants describe it as a “buzzing” feeling or a mental fog that makes it difficult to focus and slower decision-making. Sometimes it can cause physical symptoms, such as headaches.

AI oversight leads to information overload

AI oversight, which requires direct worker monitoring, is the most mentally taxing form of AI engagement, according to the study. The workers who said their AI work required more intense oversight expended 14% more mental effort on the job.

Moreover, higher levels of AI oversight were associated with 19% greater information overload, or the feeling of being overwhelmed by the amount of information a worker must process at work.

The researchers note that AI oversight combined with an increase in workload raises employees’ accountability, as it requires them to pay attention to more “outcomes for more tools in the same amount of time.”

The study also looked into how the number of AI tools correlates with productivity.

As employees went from using one AI tool to two simultaneously, they became significantly more productive. Incorporating a third tool again increased productivity, but at a lower rate.

Using more than three tools at the same time, however, led to a decrease in productivity.

Interestingly, despite AI use often predicting mental fatigue, it was associated with reduced burnout.

When the participants used AI to substantially reduce time spent on routine or repetitive tasks, they reported 15% lower burnout scores compared to those who didn’t use AI in this way.

Marketing roles are most prone to AI brain fry

Different roles appear to be differently impacted by the AI brain fry. The study indicates that 6% of those in legal roles experienced the phenomenon, compared to 26% of those in marketing roles.

After marketing, people in operations, engineering, finance, and IT roles experienced the highest rates of AI brain fry.

Mental fatigue from excessive AI use appears to predict employees’ intent to leave. A quarter (25%) of those who didn’t report AI brain fry showed active intent to leave, compared to 34% of those who experienced it.

The study suggests that when employees felt their organization expected them to take on more work due to AI, their mental fatigue scores were 12% higher.

The authors warned against measuring and rewarding token consumption “as a proxy for performance,” saying this may push employees to their cognitive limits.

Only one in eight use AI at work daily

Nearly half (46%) of American employees use AI in their role, but only 12% do so daily, according to a recent Gallup survey.

Despite technological companies’ claims that AI can replace workers, the impact on productivity is highly debated.

A recent survey by Workday suggests that AI helps employees save between one and seven hours of work per week. However, about 37% of the time saved by AI is wasted on redoing the work.