A study published in Nature: Scientific Reports provides new insights into the use of AI at work
Artificial intelligence (AI) in workplaces has no significant negative effect on employee wellbeing, according to a new study.
Researchers recently undertook a study on how workers in AI-exposed occupations have fared in contrast to workers in less-exposed roles.
"So far, we find little evidence that AI adoption has undermined workers' well-being on average," said Luca Stella of the University of Milan and the Berlin School of Economics, one of the researchers, in a statement.
"If anything, physical health seems to have slightly improved, likely due to declining job physical intensity and overall job risk in some of the AI-exposed occupations."
The study further found a "mild positive effect" on self-reported health status and health satisfaction.
"This result appears consistent with recent studies that have found no evidence of adverse effects of AI on labour market outcomes, as well as with our own evidence of a decline in job physical intensity," the study said.
But the research, published in Nature: Scientific Reports, noted that it has limitations.
"Our main analysis focuses on occupational-level measure of AI exposure, which assumes uniform exposure within occupations and may overlook individual-level variation in AI interactions," the research said.
It added that the study cannot be generalised to young workers, as the sample size was limited to those who entered the workforce before 2010.
Osea Giuntella of the University of Pittsburgh, another researcher, emphasised that their study is an "early snapshot" of AI's impact.
"As AI adoption accelerates, continued monitoring of its broader impacts on work and health is essential," Giuntella said in a statement. "Technology alone doesn't determine outcomes — institutions and policies will decide whether AI enhances or erodes the conditions of work."
The findings come in the wake of widespread AI implementation in workplaces, which has triggered anxiety among employees over AI-related workforce reductions.
But there have been reports, including one from Slack, which found that eight in 10 AI users said the technology has improved their productivity.
They also scored higher on all measures of employee engagement and experience, such as work-life balance (26%), sense of belonging (32%), and satisfaction (31%).
"We may simply be too early in the AI adoption curve to observe its full effects," Stella said. "AI's impact could evolve dramatically as technologies advance, penetrate more sectors, and alter work at a deeper level."
