AI was supposed to make work easier, automate boring tasks, and give us more free time. So why are we still working just as hard, if not harder?
The reality is that AI doesn’t reduce work—it changes the nature of work. It makes some tasks disappear, but it also unlocks new possibilities that keep us just as busy.
Think about this: Before email, we wrote fewer memos. Before smartphones, we had fewer real-time demands. Before Zoom, we had fewer back-to-back meetings. Every new technology was supposed to make work easier, yet it only made expectations higher.
What should you do? Organizations must stop treating productivity as the ultimate goal of AI. The real goal should be meaningful work. AI should eliminate low-value work so that employees can focus on creative, high-impact tasks.
If you’re a leader, don’t just use AI to cut costs. Use it to redefine roles, enhance employee creativity, and give people time to think, innovate, and lead.
The future of work won’t be about hours. It will be about impact, creativity, and fulfilment. AI won’t give you work-life balance unless you intentionally design it into your company culture.