Ranganathan, Aruna, and Xingqi Maggie Ye. “AI Doesn’t Reduce Work–It Intensifies It.” Harvard Business Review, 9 Feb. 2026, https://hbr.org/2026/02/ai-doesnt-reduce-work-it-intensifies-it. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
In this article from Ranganathan and Ye, the authors describe their takeaways from an ongoing research study into how AI implementation has impacted the work habits at a technology company. Framing their findings in generally upbeat and positive tones, Ranganathan and Ye advise caution for organizations who are hoping to see increased productivity as a result of employees leveraging generative artificial intelligence for work tasks. The authors note the ways in which AI use is intensifying work: it expands workers’ tasks beyond the original scope of their jobs, increases pressure to multitask, and encourages working beyond normal hours or without breaks. While these changes seem to be driven by employees and may look positive from a leader standpoint, there are concerns that these trends could lead to burnout and long-term harm to an organization’s workforce. As a result, Ranganathan and Ye suggest implementing practices to ensure responsible and sustainable AI use.
This article reminds me that because of AI’s newness in many areas of our lives, we should approach claims about its capabilities and effects with skepticism. It is common to hear that AI will increase productivity and efficiency in both our personal and professional lives. While this article does not contradict that claim entirely, it advises us to proceed with caution and put limits in place to prevent the technology from interfering with work-life balance.
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