AI at Work Why Some Early Adopters of AI Are So Stressed (The Busywork Paradox)
Jan 6, 2026
AI is reshaping the workplace, and surprisingly, it's raising stress levels by eliminating low-stakes busywork. The hosts discuss how this shift keeps people in high-pressure decision-making modes. They explore the distinction between developer-grade tools and consumer apps, touching on the complexities of 'vibe coding.' Moreover, the need for verification becomes crucial as cross-checking AI outputs across models gains importance. With many organizations still in the early stages of AI adoption, navigating these changes is essential for productivity.
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Automation Removes Recovery Moments
- Removing low-stress busywork can leave people in constant high-stakes decision mode all day.
- Elijah Szasz warns this raises chronic stress because those minutiae used to provide recovery moments.
Paralegal Lost Minutiae, Gained Constant Stress
- A paralegal at a major firm lost all minutiae work after the company leaned hard into AI.
- She now spends every day in stressful, high-impact work with no low-stress recovery tasks.
Plan AI As A Cross‑Functional Effort
- Treat AI transformation as cross-functional because sales, ops, and finance all bleed together.
- Coordinate holistically instead of siloing projects to avoid integration failures.