There is a lot of hype about AI, including plenty of opinions about how AI will destroy us, save us or surprise us. But reality is less extreme and more nuanced. AI will certainly change work, and it will change our human experience. Most important right now is to keep our eyes open and anticipate the impact of AI so we can lean in with caution, plan with intention, and both protect and enhance our humanity by leveraging AI in all the best ways.
There are certainly those who believe that AI is overrated, and they doubt its long-term effects. But to resist or reject the impact of AI is like opting out of the internet years ago. We tend to overestimate the impact of new technology over the short term and then underestimate over in the long term, which can make us impatient for an immediate demonstration of effects. But AI today is as bad as it will ever be, as improvements are happening constantly. Understanding where we are going and responding effectively is tremendously important for us as individuals, teams, organizations and a society.
Given the reality of AI, our work will change fundamentally. This is not a scenario where work stays the same and we just have new tools like a calculator or a spreadsheet to get it done. Work itself will shift. While AI is certainly about tech, at its core, it is also about work, in terms of how we work and how we think about ourselves in relationship to our work. We will wrestle with the value we bring to our work, and how our value will shift.
How AI Is Changing Work
The effects of AI will be nuanced and layered. There will be both good news and bad news, and both pros and cons. Here is some evidence for what we know about how AI will change the landscape of work and our experiences.
1. Efficiency And Teamwork
When people use AI, they report some great results as well as some drawbacks. In a survey of 3,782 people, 77% said AI enables them to accomplish more work in less time, while 73% were able to produce better-quality work with less effort, according to a 2025 report by SHRM. A 2023 survey by FlexOS found similar results with 81% of users who said AI had increased their productivity.
In another example, the MIT Sloan Management Review examined a case study with P&G in which the company examined the work of 776 employees. When people worked individually with the help of AI, their outcomes were on par with whole teams of people not using AI. In addition, when teams used AI, they outperformed both the individuals using AI and the teams who were not using AI. P&G also found that AI helped people work more effectively across departments, reducing organizational silos, and helping professionals from different disciplines produce more balanced solutions.
In another example, this one studying workers at Anthropic, 59% of engineers said they used AI in their work and achieved 50% better productivity as a result. However, they were only able to fully delegate a maximum of 20% of their work due to the supervision paradox in which you need expertise to ensure the accuracy of AI results, but your own skills erode the more you use AI.
In more data from Anthropic, surveying 1,250 professionals, 86% reported that AI saves time and 65% of them were satisfied with its results. However, while 65% believed they were using AI to augment their work, true use of AI based on observation rather than self-reports demonstrated that in reality, only 47% of the work was augmentation, while 49% was automation in which AI was doing the work for the employees. Perhaps this explains the 55% who worry about long term impact to their job security.
The bottom line: AI may contribute to greater productivity, quality and teamwork. But it may erode human skills, and it may replace human work, creating job insecurity.
2. Critical Thinking Skills
More of us are relying on AI in our work. In fact, people use AI most extensively for creation (40%) and analysis (30%). People use it less for evaluating (6%), applying (11%), understanding (10%) or remembering (2%). Unfortunately, the less we rely on our own brains for these thinking skills, the more we risk atrophy. If we offload more cognitive processes, we become more dependent on external tools and are less likely to develop or maintain our own capabilities. This offloading will affect the way we think.
In a study at MIT, researchers compared groups using AI with groups not using AI. They found that those using AI showed the least neural activity and brain connectivity compared with other groups. In fact, they had 55% less cognitive engagement. In addition, those who used only AI, became increasingly dependent on the tool.
They also struggled with memory recall. The essays they produced in the study were structured well, but lacked personal insights or original thought. And when students were asked about the writing they had produced with AI, they reported they did not feel a sense of ownership for it. The effects of AI also lasted over time. Even after the AI tool was removed from processing, participants in the study showed reduced performance and lower brain activity compared to those who had not used AI.
A separate study by Elon University asked 300 AI experts, globally, about their concerns with AI. They reported they are concerned with a decline in critical thinking.
The bottom line: AI can contribute to all kinds of work products and produce outputs that meet the requirements of work or school, but we should keep in mind that using it could result in the loss of critical thinking skills as well as reduced brain activity.
3. Motivation And Fulfillment
Using AI can help you stay relevant. According to a Pew Research Center survey of more than 10,000 people, 17% of those under 30 used it regularly and reaped benefits such as learning something new.
AI also has tremendous results as a tutor and coach in the learning process. In scientific experiments, students using AI tutors learned significantly more in less time compared with in-class active learning. They were also more engaged and motivated, according to research published in Scientific Reports. Researchers believe AI is especially helpful at tutoring since students can try, test and fail without worry about embarrassment.
AI can be helpful in imparting ideas and tutoring, but it can also impede learning. When students used AI for learning, they gained less knowledge, and their learning was n0t as deep. It was more superficial. They also reported declines in motivation and reduced interest in their topics. At the same time, they developed a new dependence on AI and reported they relied less on their own thinking or capabilities. All of this is according to research published in the British Journal of Educational Technology.
Another set of studies involving 3,500 people published in Scientific Reports found AI increased the effectiveness of people writing emails, writing social media posts, writing performance reviews and brainstorming ideas. However, people using AI for these tasks experienced an 11% drop in motivation along with a 20% rise in boredom. On the other hand, a poll by Tech.co found 59% said AI increased their job satisfaction.
The bottom line: AI can effectively impart concepts and ideas and perform work for us, but it may reduce interest, deep learning, motivation or fulfillment in the process.
4. Trust And Relationships
AI has become a companion to many, however in another survey by the Pew Research Center, 50% of respondents said they believe AI will reduce the ability of people to form meaningful relationships. And they are not wrong. A study of 3,270 people published in the Journal of Public Health found that when people had patterns of higher daily AI use for personal conversation, they experienced greater loneliness, social isolation, social withdrawal and increasing dependence on AI, replacing human relationships.
People everywhere are struggling mightily with relationships and online searches for “how to make friends” has increased five-fold since 2004. The number of people who say they have no friends has increased steadily since 1990. When people interact with AI, rather than real people, it’s known as having a synthetic companion or a para-social relationship, and it can be damaging.
In addition to their concerns about critical thinking, experts in the Elon University study are worried about AI-driven declines in mental health based on a reduction in authentic emotional experiences along with less competence and mastery in building relationships. They also reflected concerns about declining self-identity, empathy and trust in social norms.
People may also experience reductions in trust if they interact online and think they are communicating with a human who later turns out to be AI. When people are deceived in this way, their overall trust declines according to research published in Patterns. And a study published in Computer Supported Cooperative Work found that suspicion about exchanges online can result in questioning and mistrust of others.
The bottom line: AI may be useful as a work helper, but it will also be necessary for us to retain and sustain our human skills in relating, connecting and building community.
5. Future Of Employment
Another key area of concern based on the impact of AI is unemployment. In fact, as mentioned above, 55% of those in the Anthropic survey worry about losing their jobs. And in a SHRM report on AI, 27% worry about job displacement. Unemployment is indeed a reality.
- 86% of executives say they plan to leverage AI to replace entry-level jobs and 8% have stopped entry-level hiring because they are relying on AI. Meanwhile, 15% report that they are investing in AI to cut the need for humans to perform work. All of this is based on data from Clarify Capital.
- 13% of jobs in the United States are at high-risk for disruption based on automation, according to SHRM research published in early 2025.
- 30% of jobs in the United States could be fully automated by 2030 and 60% will see significant changes in the tasks that are required based on AI use, according to data from National University.
- 80% of the U.S. workforce could have at least 10% of their work content affected by AI, and 19% of employees may see 50% of their tasks affected, based on data from OpenAI and University of Pennsylvania.
- 10% to 20% unemployment could occur in the next one to five years, and it could eliminate 50% of entry-level white-collar jobs, according to a report by Axios.
- 50% of current work activities in 60% of occupations are already able to be automated, according to research from McKinsey.
But there are also broad beliefs that humans must stay involved with AI. In fact, 80% of people believe a human should always review AI solutions before implementation and 77% believe humans are important for optimal functioning of AI. Moreover, 74% believe AI should be used as a complement to human skills and 72% believe the effectiveness of AI is based on the capabilities of the human user, according to SHRM.
On the other hand, it is based partially on this human-AI dynamic that some sources believe there will be a net add of jobs globally. The World Economic Forum predicts that while AI will displace 92 million jobs, it will also create 170 million new ones globally.
The bottom line: Jobs will likely be lost as AI is adopted by companies and institutions, but humans will also be an important part of the labor market in key types of work.
Where We Go From Here
People are highly suspicious of AI. In the United States, 49% of people reject the use of AI while 17% embrace it. And 70% of people who rarely use AI say it is because they do no trust it, while 55% are intimidated by it, according to a survey from Edelman.
Where we go from here is an important question. It is critical that we are intentional in how we use AI and how we retain the human opportunity for connection, creativity and curiosity. We can use AI for almost everything, but just because we can does not mean we should. We will need to assess not just capability but also desirability.
“The tension between what’s possible and what’s a smart choice sits at the core of how AI is reshaping work,” says Daan van Rossum, CEO of Lead with AI.
It is also critical that we emphasize learning and growth, so people can gain proficiency not just in using AI, but in maintaining their own areas of competence. In the SHRM report, 85% of workers who were trained in AI, were able to produce high-quality work. but only 49% said the same when they had not received satisfactory training.
Human and social skills are what will set us apart, so it will also be key that we ensure we are not only teaching skills like communication, teamwork, conflict management, but also that we are emphasizing empathy and human connections.
Organizations will also need to ensure they are transparent about their use of AI with both employees and customers, so they engender trust. And they will need to ensure solid governance practices to protect themselves and others.
A Brave New World
AI will affect our work, our thinking, our relationships and even our identity. As a result, we will need to stay aware, make sense of all the signals and respond wisely.
Ren Ecosystem