AI’s rapid adoption could hurt workers’ mental health, expert warns

Companies are adopting generative artificial intelligence tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT into their workflow at breakneck speed, leading one expert to warn the rapid transformation of jobs could take an added toll on the mental health of an already overstressed workforce.

KPMG U.S. Deputy Chair and COO Laura Newinski has been sounding the alarm over the potential impact GenAI could have on employees’ emotional well-being. 

Newinski notes that change creates stress, and when too much change occurs at an accelerated pace with many unknowns, it can be overwhelming.

The executive of the global accounting and advisory firm told FOX Business that Gen-AI has caused “a whipsaw that people are feeling because six months ago, they hadn’t heard of” the technology that many now believe is threatening their jobs or how they do them.

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“And that hasn’t been a drip feed over five years,” she said. “That’s been a tsunami over the last six months.”

Newinski says at the very root of some workers’ stress since ChatGPT was released to the public in November might be concerns that they will lose their job because of AI, that the job they love might change, or that they won’t be able to rescale to take a new position – and all the uncertainty is causing fear.

“Everything’s going to change now,” Newinski said, adding that workers are now “bombarded.” 

A new survey of executive women released by KPMG last week found 91% perceived an exponential surge of stress in the workplace compared to pre-pandemic levels, with 70% of respondents attributing it to increased workloads and expectations. 

Nearly 6 out of 10 of the 1,500 women surveyed reported having added responsibilities stemming from the need to help manage their teams’ mental health and wellness on top of their own.

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No one knows how much of the stress workers feel today could be linked to fears over job changes due to AI, but Newinski is calling on employers to help workers adjust to how the technology could require changes in mindsets and skill sets to help them through any adjustments.

The executive said employers need to help build trust around how workers can use AI responsibly, offer guidance on understanding any guardrails, ethics, and other considerations surrounding the adoption of the tools, and to do so at a comfortable pace.

“Now more than ever, it is important for leaders to encourage discussion about self-care and support, both to normalize conversations around mental well-being and to demonstrate that change can be good,” Newinski said. “For example, showing how generative AI is a tool that augments and supports workers and enables them to be more productive and efficient.”