A growing wave of research is challenging one of the most persistent assumptions about AI in the workplace: that automation naturally reduces workload. A recent study published by Harvard Business Review offers a different picture. As the authors note, “AI tools didn’t reduce work, they consistently intensified it.”
The findings are clear. When employees adopt generative AI enthusiastically and without guardrails, three patterns emerge:
• They expand the scope of their responsibilities
• They blur the boundaries between work and non‑work
• They juggle more parallel tasks than ever before
The result is a surge in productivity that feels empowering at first, but quietly increases cognitive load and accelerates the pace of work. What begins as experimentation becomes a new normal—one that is not always sustainable.
The Conversation Has Shifted
This theme resonated strongly with me during Tech Connect 2026, where the industry’s focus has clearly evolved. We are no longer debating whether AI will transform work. That question has been settled.
The real conversation now is about how responsibly we architect that transformation.
How we ensure that acceleration does not become exhaustion.
How we preserve judgment, creativity, and human connection in environments increasingly shaped by automation.
At Tech Connect, it was evident that organizations are beginning to understand that AI adoption requires more than tools. It requires practice—a deliberate operating model that defines how AI should be used, when it should be paused, and how work should be sequenced to protect attention and decision quality.
Building the Foundations of an AI Practice
Within our teams, we are already moving in this direction. The goal is not simply to deploy AI, but to integrate it into a sustainable rhythm of work. That means:
1. Intentional Pauses
As tasks accelerate, structured moments for reflection become essential. These pauses prevent quiet overload and support better decisions.
2. Sequencing and Focus
AI enables constant activity, but not all activity should be immediate. Protecting focus windows and pacing updates reduces fragmentation and context switching.
3. Human Grounding
As AI enables more solo work, we must reinforce the value of human dialogue, shared reflection, and diverse perspectives. Creativity depends on it.
These principles are becoming the backbone of our approach. We are not waiting for the industry to define the standard. We are building it now.
The Path Forward
AI is not just a capability. It is a rhythm that shapes how work unfolds. If we do not intentionally design that rhythm, it will design itself—and not always in ways that support well‑being or long‑term performance.
The next phase of enterprise AI is not about doing more.
It is about doing better, with clarity, sustainability, and purpose.
