AI personal assistants were supposed to make our lives easier. AI, after all, can automate chores, complete repetitive tasks, and free up time to focus on the essential aspects of our careers and lives. Despite these undeniable benefits, many people feel more overwhelmed than ever. AI has increased work performance expectations, barrages us with constant notifications, and has led to an uncertain job future. Concerns about AI dependence cause additional stress, to say nothing of reports that some AIs are threatening users.
When used in combination with a reputable internet provider, AI personal assistants improve our well-being, but the technology introduces new stressors that require careful management at the individual and organizational levels.
Source: Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock.com
The Promise — AI as a Stress Reliever
AI personal assistants offer plenty of features that can, when applied correctly, relieve stress, including:
Prioritizing emails: Helps you draft quick replies and organize your inbox.
Automating schedules: Identifies available times, proposes meeting slots, and reschedules meetings and appointments.
Task prioritization: Groups related tasks, breaks down large projects into smaller tasks, and automates repeatable items and reports.
Smart reminders: Sends automated follow-ups on unanswered requests so nothing gets overlooked.
Summarizing long content: Condenses articles and breaks down meeting transcripts into key points.
Personalized searches: Quickly provides the information you need without extensive research.
Shopping and budget automation: Creates shopping lists, compares prices, and automates routine purchases and bill payments.
Travel planning: Builds itineraries, finds the best routes, and auto-updates plans when flights or traffic change.
Document drafting: Generates first drafts, emails, or contracts, saving you time spent creating a first draft.
Smart home coordination: Automates lighting, temperature, and appliance schedules for comfort and efficient energy use.
Data visualization: Translates data into simple charts and recommendations, reducing analysis paralysis.
The Problem — Information Overload and Tech Fatigue
All that sounds great, right? And it can be, but with new technology comes new challenges. Employees are increasingly expected to onboard new AI tools within short timeframes, often with limited training. The pressure produced by these stressors can lead to burnout. For instance, a 2024 study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association found that radiologists who consistently used AI were 39% more likely to suffer burnout, with the likelihood of burnout increasing with the frequency of AI use.
The JAMA study is an example of how AI can backfire and cause tech fatigue. A constant stream of content, notifications, pressure to upskill, and concerns that AI will render jobs obsolete can fragment attention and make it harder to prioritize. Our ability to sustain attention drops, motivation wanes, and small tasks can feel exhausting.
The Data — What Studies and Experts Say
So what does the data say about AI personal assistants? AI can both alleviate and exacerbate burnout. When deployed inefficiently, AI can raise expectations for employee performance rather than freeing people from mindless tasks, leading to increased “technostress.”
Source: Quantum Workplace
For workers, AI tools that promise productivity can create new monitoring and response expectations—more extended workdays disguised as efficiency. Combating this requires designing AI in a way that limits interruptions, automates individual habits like batching, and includes built-in intentional breaks. As Daniel Glickman notes, when used properly, AI predicts and prevents burnout, rather than becoming just another source of exhaustion.
Destressing AI Use
Use AI personal assistants as support tools to optimize your schedule and maintain work-life balance.
Set tech-free hours at work and at home.
Emphasize human oversight of AI tools, not the reverse (if AI takes precedence over human judgment, something is wrong).
Be aware of the capabilities and limitations of AI tools.
Develop your AI skill set so you can use tools with confidence.
Find time to connect with friends, family, and coworkers.
Remember that AI cannot replace human traits such as creativity, empathy, and judgment.
Use AI personal assistants in combination with high-speed connections, such as fiber-optic internet, for the best results.
Source: Brightspeed
The Bigger Picture — Stress, Adaptation, and Progress
Every significant technological advancement causes some degree of societal upheaval and stress until people adapt. The cotton gin, mechanized textile production, computers, and the internet were all expected to destroy the job market. While it's true these advances rendered some jobs obsolete, other opportunities arose to replace them.
AI personal assistants aren't inherently stressful. When paired with mindfulness, an understanding of AI capabilities, and a reliable internet connection, AI becomes a powerful stress-reduction tool. Stress doesn't come from smarter machines — it comes from how we choose to use them.
