"AI burnout": when chatbots are already exhausting the human brain

While AI promises to transform work by automating certain tasks and increasing productivity, a new study suggests that the intensive use of these tools could have an unexpected effect: marked cognitive fatigue in some employees.

Indeed, researchers have identified a phenomenon they call "AI brain fry", which could be translated as "AI-related mental exhaustion." According to their research, constant interaction with chatbots, intelligent agents, or generative tools can create cognitive overload.

A paradoxical situation, given that these technologies are supposed to simplify daily work life…

Mental fog linked to intensive AI use

Some sectors are much more affected – Source: HBR

To better understand this phenomenon multiple AI assistants for information retrieval, data analysis, content writing, or even code generation.

Supervising AI: A Particularly Exhausting Task

And you, how many AI tools do you use?

– Source: HBR

The study highlights a key factor: the supervision of AI systems. Contrary to the idea of complete automation, employees often spend a significant amount of time checking, correcting, and interpreting the results produced by these tools.

Employees responsible for monitoring AI output report 12% more mental fatigue compared to others. This is largely due to the amount of information to analyze and the responsibility associated with final decisions.

The study also shows that using multiple tools simultaneously can quickly become counterproductive. In practice, productivity increases when employees use one or two AI tools, but it starts to decrease beyond three tools used in parallel.

Furthermore, this cognitive overload can also have concrete consequences, as employees affected by this phenomenon report making 39% more serious errors compared to those who do not experience this fatigue.

When AI really reduces fatigue at work…

However, the study qualifies this assessment, as AI can also contribute to improving working conditions, particularly when used to replace repetitive or low-value tasks.

In these specific cases, employees report a lower level of burnout. Freed from certain routine tasks, they can focus more on creative or strategic missions. This distinction shows that the impact of AI largely depends on how companies integrate these tools into their processes. Poorly managed use can increase cognitive load, while thoughtful integration can truly improve the work experience…