AUSSIES SAY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE HAS MADE WORK MORE STRESSFUL

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AI stress may promise greater productivity, but new research suggests it's also creating a new source of workplace stress for many Australian employees.

Artificial intelligence is often promoted as the technology that will make work faster, smarter and more efficient.

But for many Australian workers, the rapid rise of AI is having the opposite effect.

A new survey by people2people Recruitment has found three in five Australians believe artificial intelligence has made their jobs more stressful, as employees struggle to keep up with new technology while juggling their existing workloads.

The findings suggest the challenge isn't resistance to AI itself, but the pressure to constantly adapt as workplaces rapidly evolve.

AI stress is creating a new workplace challenge

The survey found almost one-third of workers feel overwhelmed by the need to continually learn new AI tools and skills.

Another 31 per cent worry about making mistakes when using AI, while almost one-quarter say they are struggling to keep pace with the constant stream of AI developments and updates.

Suhini Wijayasinghe, Head of HR Solutions at people2people Recruitment, said many employees are experiencing what could be described as "AI overload".

"Employees are being asked to learn new tools, adapt to changing processes and understand rapidly evolving technology while still delivering on their day-to-day responsibilities," she said.

"For many workers, that constant pressure is becoming overwhelming."

Fuelling job anxiety

Beyond learning new technology, many Australians are also worried about what AI could mean for their long-term careers.

More than half of those surveyed said they were concerned artificial intelligence could eventually replace jobs.

Workers also identified misinformation generated by AI as the biggest workplace risk, followed by rising job anxiety and concerns that over-reliance on AI could reduce creativity and critical thinking.

Wijayasinghe said organisations need to focus as much on supporting employees as they do on adopting new technology.

"Businesses have invested heavily in AI tools, but they now need to invest equally in helping employees use them effectively," she said.

"The organisations that succeed will be the ones that build confidence rather than fear and provide employees with the skills and support they need to navigate this change."

As AI becomes a permanent part of working life, the findings suggest the biggest challenge for employers may not be implementing the technology itself, but helping their people adapt to it without becoming overwhelmed.