Burnout shows up as feeling constantly exhausted, emotionally checked out from work, and struggling to get things done effectively.<\/p>\n
Delmaine Donson | E+ | Getty Images<\/p>\n
Burnout is a growing concern across industries, but artificial intelligence is quietly changing the game.<\/p>\n
Recognized by the World Health Organization as an “occupational phenomenon,” burnout is more than just a personal issue \u2014 it’s a business one.<\/p>\n
According to a 2025 study<\/a> in The American Journal of Preventive Medicine, burnout costs U.S. companies between $4,000 and $21,000 per employee each year \u2014 or up to $5 million annually for an average U.S. company with 1,000 employees.<\/p>\n ChatGPT can be a phenomenal thinking partner. It’s not just an upskill \u2014 it’s a reinvention. If people are willing to do the work, it could be the biggest opportunity of our time.<\/p>\n Caroline Stokes<\/p>\n Leadership strategist and author<\/p>\n To combat burnout, many companies are turning to AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot. These automate repetitive tasks, summarize information, and assist with content creation and project management. A global study by the University of Melbourne and KPMG International<\/a> of more than 32,000 workers from 47 countries found that 58% of employees intentionally use AI at work, with one-third using it weekly or daily.<\/p>\n Yet many workers still lose valuable time, spending 2.6 hours a day, or 13 hours a week \u2014 around a third of the average work week \u2014 on tasks that AI could easily handle, according to a survey by GoTo and research firm Workplace Intelligence<\/a> of 2,500 employees and IT leaders around the globe.\u00a0<\/p>\n Headspace’s Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Jenna Glover described AI as a “very helpful companion.”<\/p>\n “It can be a great assistant in terms of lightening, what has been, historically, tasks that just take on a lot of cognitive load,” she told CNBC Make It.<\/p>\n How is AI helping burnout?<\/p>\n Workplaces using AI tools saw a 25% drop in emotional exhaustion, according to a February 2025 survey<\/a> of 200 IT professionals. AI systems flagged 30% of participants as at risk of burnout \u2014 based on factors like long hours and low engagement \u2014 allowing for early intervention strategies to be put in place.<\/p>\n “AI can reduce stress by giving employees personalised nudges \u2014 from suggesting short breaks to rebalancing workloads across a team,” Francis Hellyer, CEO of AI-powered global travel and experiences platform, Tickadoo, told CNBC Make It.<\/p>\n Instead of lightening the load, it’s actually just creating room for more to be put on your plate.<\/p>\n Jenna Glover<\/p>\n Chief Clinical Officer at Headspace<\/p>\n Headspace’s Glover, meanwhile, said AI can support regular workload check-ins, flag when tasks become unbalanced, and deliver pulse surveys to gather timely feedback \u2014 all valuable tools for maintaining team wellbeing.<\/p>\n For Caroline Stokes, leadership strategist and author, ChatGPT can be a “phenomenal thinking partner.”<\/p>\n “It’s not just an upskill \u2014 it’s a reinvention. If people are willing to do the work, it could be the biggest opportunity of our time,” she said.<\/p>\n To combat burnout, many companies are turning to AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot. <\/p>\n Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images<\/p>\n Employees who use AI to ease their workload tend to be more productive, feel more in control across operational, emotional, and cognitive areas, and support their leaders \u2014 ultimately driving better outcomes, Stokes said.<\/p>\n “The sooner a CEO can do the work to understand how an integrated AI system is going to not only support their own mental health, their own burnout, but their people’s burnout and mental health, it won’t be this ugly elephant in the room anymore,” she added.<\/p>\n Some companies are already leveraging the technology for mental health. Headspace’s AI companion Ebb has been rolled out across 2,000 enterprises in an effort to help with workplace stress, habit building, and anxiety management.<\/p>\n