AI is resulting in us doing *more* work, not less

[Anonymous]

I read this article recently on how AI has resulted in us working more, not less: https://hbr.org/2026/02/ai-doesnt-reduce-work-it-intensifies-it

This has been my experience. I work for a tech company (and AI company, actually. The irony.) and started using AI to lessen my workload about 3 years ago. It was great for the first couple of years; projects that took days or even weeks could be completed within a couple hours.

But then my company started cracking down on people not working a full 40 hour week, so we’ve all had to take on additional projects to fill the time. Which doesn’t seem bad at first glance - 40 hours is 40 hours, right? But the cognitive load of doing dozens of new tasks, and the task switching that comes along with it, gets exhausting. Managers keep dumping random ideas they have because “just use AI, it won’t take that long!” AI was supposed to make us work less, but it’s just forced us to produce more.

Anyone else find this true in their job? The demand for more and more output is giving me burnout.

[Anonymous]

Yes, AI is the equivalent of "oh the personal computer will save so much paper" -> proceeds to cause massive amounts of paper use.

[Anonymous]

Ai is like text/slack/teams coming online and everyone said we would have fewer emails 🙄

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ai is like text/slack/teams coming online and everyone said we would have fewer emails 🙄

Totally - just another terrible channel to manage.

As a expert / professional (not OP) I spend SO MUCH time rebutting AI garbage and truly feel people trust AI more than me

[Anonymous]

AI is great when you boss doesn't yet realize you are using it and other people doing the same type of work haven't yet really begun to use it.

[Anonymous]

I'm definitely working more, but no one's making me. It's just, every idea I have I can now make. Like, I put together a prototype before the first project meeting instead of waiting because, why not? It's the same for other engineers I know who are using this.

[Anonymous]

Yes. It feels a bit like previously you used to be able to say something isn’t possible (like differentiating an assignment for theory people in a class, updating all your lectures every semester etc.) and now that it is possible it is kind of expected.

[Anonymous]

Have a similar experience so far. I do like my AI tools, I find engaging with AI creative and informative and it's giving me more capabilities. But it also means expectations are going up, which means more work.

For the first time I am now quietly telling myself it's only 20 years till retirement.

[Anonymous]

Desktop computers were going eliminate jobs. Look how many jobs they created.

[Anonymous]

I still can’t figure out how AI is supposed to make me, a lawyer, more efficient. I’m still going to read all the cases myself. I’m still going to review everything it summarizes for me. I can see it being helpful for doing things like formatting and editing but those were not my key tasks anyway. I feel like this is more like the advent of Westlaw and Nexus - which just make legal research more complex (because there are now more available sources) not less complex.

[Anonymous]

It's been a huge help for me. I have to keep notes and write reports. Our company tells us we can use it but doesn't give any guidance or parameters. My coworkers haven't quite caught on how to use it so I am ahead of the game right now and am saving time as well as stress because I used to always stress out about writing the reports.

[Anonymous]

Yup. It's improving efficiency and making people work more. Salaried ppl are the ones under the gun to have a "useful" 40 hrs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I still can’t figure out how AI is supposed to make me, a lawyer, more efficient. I’m still going to read all the cases myself. I’m still going to review everything it summarizes for me. I can see it being helpful for doing things like formatting and editing but those were not my key tasks anyway. I feel like this is more like the advent of Westlaw and Nexus - which just make legal research more complex (because there are now more available sources) not less complex.

I have found using cocounsel to be a lot more enjoyable (if that’s the word) than regular westlaw search or key cites.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ai is like text/slack/teams coming online and everyone said we would have fewer emails 🙄

Totally - just another terrible channel to manage.

As a expert / professional (not OP) I spend SO MUCH time rebutting AI garbage and truly feel people trust AI more than me

Mmg I feel this. I wrote something for a client but then she used AI to rewrite it and she sent it out. AI took away half the things that had to be in there. It turned it into garbage. Why did she hire me if she trusted AI more?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I still can’t figure out how AI is supposed to make me, a lawyer, more efficient. I’m still going to read all the cases myself. I’m still going to review everything it summarizes for me. I can see it being helpful for doing things like formatting and editing but those were not my key tasks anyway. I feel like this is more like the advent of Westlaw and Nexus - which just make legal research more complex (because there are now more available sources) not less complex.

I have found using cocounsel to be a lot more enjoyable (if that’s the word) than regular westlaw search or key cites.

interesting, what can it do? i don't actually use westlaw all that much as i use a database specific to my practice area (a niche one) more. but i'm intrigued.