Heaptalk, Jakarta — Artificial Intelligence (AI), created to assist humans, is considered to hinder the work of The Upwork Research Institute.
In a journal published on Wednesday (07/31) by The Upwork Research Institute, AI is deemed to hamper employee productivity. This study interviewed 2,500 people, including C-level executives of global companies, permanent employees, and freelancers in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.
Although 96% of company executives expect AI to increase productivity, 77% of employees using AI in this study stated that AI instead adds to their workload. They also mentioned that AI creates challenges when employees try to boost their productivity. Moreover, AI is seen as hindering productivity and can cause stress.
The study also found that nearly half of the employees using AI (47%) do not know how to improve their productivity as expected by company executives. Meanwhile, 40% feel the company is too demanding since using AI. They feel pressured by the increased productivity demands, with one in three employees saying they might resign in the next six months due to being overworked.
From the bosses’ perspective, most executives in this study (81%) admitted that they have increased employee workload demands in the past year. As a result, 71% of employees, especially permanent ones, are experiencing stress. Additionally, 65% of employees find it difficult to meet the company’s demands, particularly regarding productivity.
“Our research shows that introducing new technology to outdated work models and systems fails to achieve AI’s expected productivity value,” said Kelly Monahan, Managing Director and Head of The Upwork Research Institute. Although AI can enhance productivity and employee well-being, she advises against overusing AI to make employees more productive.
