Many workers who use AI report gains in productivity, but many also notice an increase in stress.

Hope grows when people believe they still have influence inside the system.

AI should be one pathway among many to accomplish great work—not the only route forward.

By Jen Fisher and Paula Davis

Burnout has long been framed as a problem to solve with efficiency, endurance, or recovery strategies—but those approaches often miss something essential: People need hope. In a time when artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how we work, many conversations focus on productivity gains, job disruption, and speed. Yet AI may offer another, less discussed opportunity: the chance to reduce unnecessary friction, restore a sense of possibility, and help people feel more capable and supported in the face of growing demands. If burnout is fueled by chronic stress and helplessness, then hope may be one of the most important antidotes.

While many workers who use AI do report gains in productivity, many also notice an increase in stress, as free time doesn’t translate into downtime. A 2025 report from the Upwork Research Institute showed that the most productive AI users were significantly more likely to report burnout and disengagement—and nearly twice as likely to say they were considering quitting. In the same study, 90 percent of workers described AI as a “coworker,” and more than half said they trusted AI more than their human teammates.

A separate eight-month study found something similar. When one tech company introduced AI tools (without mandating their use), employees worked faster, longer hours, and took on broader scopes of responsibility. What looked like productivity gains also created scope creep, “work slop” that increased cognitive load, constant pressure to produce more, and reduced recovery time. Over time, leaders struggled to distinguish genuine performance from unsustainable intensity, which can........

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