{"id":3861,"date":"2026-03-14T16:53:21","date_gmt":"2026-03-14T16:53:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/?p=3861"},"modified":"2026-03-31T08:16:54","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T08:16:54","slug":"ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/","title":{"rendered":"AI Was Supposed to Make Work Easier\u2014Berkeley Researchers Say It\u2019s Doing the Opposite"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Artificial intelligence (AI) frequently sparks debate about the future of jobs and workplace satisfaction. Many organizations adopt AI with the expectation that daily tasks will become simpler and less repetitive. However, a closer look\u2014<a href=\"https:\/\/hbr.org\/2026\/02\/ai-doesnt-reduce-work-it-intensifies-it\">especially through the observations of two Berkeley researchers<\/a>\u2014reveals a different reality. Instead of reducing workloads, <strong>AI often amplifies job demands<\/strong> in unforeseen ways. What fuels this paradox? It is worth exploring how AI is truly transforming everyday professional routines.<\/p>\n<h2>AI as an accelerator of workload<\/h2>\n<p>The initial promise seems straightforward: <strong>AI automates repetitive chores<\/strong>, theoretically freeing up precious time for employees. Yet, in practice, these newly available hours rarely translate to lighter days or more relaxation. Employees frequently use that reclaimed time to tackle extra responsibilities, many of which previously fell to external partners or were postponed until absolutely necessary.<\/p>\n<p>The result is a growing list of duties, causing boundaries between roles to blur. For developers and engineers, this means not only managing their core technical projects but also reviewing and correcting code produced by colleagues leveraging AI. This cycle turns minor requests into a mounting stack of obligations, pushing staff well beyond familiar territory.<\/p>\n<h2>Shifting rhythms: New patterns in downtime and multitasking<\/h2>\n<p>With digital tools always within reach, office habits are evolving rapidly. A striking effect emerges: instead of taking true breaks during slower moments, many employees remain engaged\u2014tweaking prompts or submitting last-minute AI queries just before finishing their day. The perception that instructing AI is effortless allows some workers to feel productive even when winding down.<\/p>\n<p>This blend of <strong>AI tool management<\/strong> and traditional assignments creates new patterns. Employees regularly juggle several processes at once, feeding information to algorithms while responding to emails, attending meetings, or completing other tasks. While this multitasking might appear efficient, it divides attention and introduces fresh distractions throughout the workday.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Employees channel time saved by automation into tackling deferred or additional assignments<\/li>\n<li>Teams take on increased oversight, monitoring the accuracy of AI-generated results<\/li>\n<li>Prompting AI for quick outcomes feels easy, encouraging constant small tasks<\/li>\n<li>Handling multiple AI requests at once leads to increasingly fragmented days<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Long-term consequences on wellbeing and productivity<\/h2>\n<p>While initial productivity spikes may convince employers that AI brings only benefits, longer-term risks soon emerge. Expanding job scopes can lead to elevated stress levels and fatigue. Rapid-fire expectations, driven by swift AI outputs, make it harder for professionals to pause or fully disconnect after hours.<\/p>\n<p>Persistent multitasking gradually chips away at concentration, resulting in greater exhaustion and potential burnout. As digital tools enable near-constant reachability, defining clear boundaries becomes increasingly complicated. Over time, pressure mounts\u2014even if efficiency statistics suggest otherwise.<\/p>\n<h2>Practical safeguards organizations should consider<\/h2>\n<p>To meet these emerging challenges, experts recommend concrete strategies for leaders and HR teams. Introducing intentional pauses before launching major initiatives helps prevent runaway overwork. Breaking complex objectives into structured phases\u2014from research to execution\u2014enables teams to spread effort evenly and avoid overwhelm.<\/p>\n<p>Crucially, fostering genuine face-to-face collaboration, even in technology-driven environments, offers vital support. Meaningful human interaction provides perspective and emotional grounding that digital tools cannot replicate. Organizations prioritizing open dialogue over digital noise typically enjoy more sustainable engagement among their workforce.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Task management becomes critical<\/strong> as AI multiplies rather than replaces essential activities. Without clear priorities or direction, employees quickly encounter bottlenecks and duplicated efforts. Cultivating a culture of structured sequencing and transparent communication shields teams from overload and confusion.<\/p>\n<p>Regularly scheduled breaks and respect for individual limits help counterbalance AI\u2019s relentless push for immediate action. Thoughtful workflow planning keeps departments aligned and motivated, even as technological advancements continue at a rapid pace.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, <strong>human connections deliver what AI never can<\/strong>. Colleagues bring empathy, context, and camaraderie\u2014qualities machines lack. Whether through a manager\u2019s supportive check-in or a spontaneous brainstorming session, such interactions inject variety and emotional energy into demanding schedules. Informal exchanges like coffee chats or team retrospectives build resilience and remind everyone there is more to work than metrics and deadlines.<\/p>\n<h2>Rethinking progress: Is more technology always better?<\/h2>\n<p>The rise of AI compels organizations to reconsider what genuine progress means. While digital platforms provide shortcuts, they also encourage cycles where each minute saved is filled with new obligations. Relief remains elusive when adoption outpaces thoughtful integration.<\/p>\n<p>For decision-makers, tracking both performance data and personal experiences paints a fuller picture. High output numbers may conceal rising frustration or mental strain. Only by balancing digital innovation with people-centered practices can businesses secure lasting advantages\u2014and avoid common pitfalls\u2014as the workplace continues to evolve.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Artificial intelligence (AI) frequently sparks debate about the future of jobs and workplace satisfaction. Many organizations adopt AI with the expectation that daily tasks will become simpler and less repetitive. However, a closer look\u2014especially through the observations of two Berkeley researchers\u2014reveals a different reality. Instead of reducing workloads, AI often amplifies job demands in unforeseen [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":3862,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3861","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>AI Was Supposed to Make Work Easier\u2014Berkeley Researchers Say It\u2019s Doing the Opposite<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"AI Was Supposed to Make Work Easier\u2014Berkeley Researchers Say It\u2019s Doing the Opposite\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Artificial intelligence (AI) frequently sparks debate about the future of jobs and workplace satisfaction. Many organizations adopt AI with the expectation that daily tasks will become simpler and less repetitive. However, a closer look\u2014especially through the observations of two Berkeley researchers\u2014reveals a different reality. Instead of reducing workloads, AI often amplifies job demands in unforeseen [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Ucstrategies News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-14T16:53:21+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-31T08:16:54+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ai-work.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Rachel Stern\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Rachel Stern\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Rachel Stern\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/accda6f70a5ae06088ce35f9be7fc3a0\"},\"headline\":\"AI Was Supposed to Make Work Easier\u2014Berkeley Researchers Say It\u2019s Doing the Opposite\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-14T16:53:21+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-31T08:16:54+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/\"},\"wordCount\":750,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ai-work.jpg\",\"articleSection\":\"News\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/#respond\"]}],\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/#organization\"}},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/\",\"name\":\"AI Was Supposed to Make Work Easier\u2014Berkeley Researchers Say It\u2019s Doing the Opposite\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ai-work.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-14T16:53:21+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-31T08:16:54+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/accda6f70a5ae06088ce35f9be7fc3a0\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ai-work.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ai-work.jpg\",\"width\":1500,\"height\":1000,\"caption\":\"ai at work\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"AI Was Supposed to Make Work Easier\u2014Berkeley Researchers Say It\u2019s Doing the Opposite\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/\",\"name\":\"Ucstrategies News\",\"description\":\"Insights and tools for productive work\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/#organization\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/accda6f70a5ae06088ce35f9be7fc3a0\",\"name\":\"Rachel Stern\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/rachel-stern\/image\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/cropped-rachel-id.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/cropped-rachel-id.webp\",\"caption\":\"Rachel Stern - AI Policy & Workplace Reporter at UCStrategies\"},\"description\":\"I cover AI policy, workplace transformation, and the human side of technology adoption for UCStrategies. My reporting examines how AI regulation is taking shape across the US and EU, how companies are rethinking productivity, and what happens when automation meets organizational culture. I'm particularly interested in the decisions that don't make headlines \u2014 how teams quietly restructure around AI tools, and who benefits when efficiency becomes the default metric. Expertise: AI Policy &amp; Regulation, Future of Work, Workplace Productivity, AI Ethics, Digital Workplace Strategy, Organizational Change.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/author\/rachel-stern\/\",\"jobTitle\":\"AI Policy & Workplace Reporter\",\"worksFor\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/#organization\",\"name\":\"UCStrategies\"},\"knowsAbout\":[\"AI Policy & Regulation\",\"Future of Work\",\"Workplace Productivity\",\"AI Ethics\",\"Digital Workplace Strategy\",\"Organizational Change\",\"EU AI Act\",\"Remote Work\"],\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/author\/rachel-stern\/\"]},{\"@type\":[\"Organization\",\"NewsMediaOrganization\"],\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/#organization\",\"name\":\"UCStrategies\",\"legalName\":\"UC Strategies\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/#logo\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/cropped-Nouveau-projet-11.jpg\",\"width\":500,\"height\":500,\"caption\":\"UCStrategies Logo\"},\"description\":\"Expert news, reviews and analysis on AI tools, unified communications, and workplace technology.\",\"foundingDate\":\"2020\",\"ethicsPolicy\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/editorial-policy\/\",\"correctionsPolicy\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/editorial-policy\/#corrections-policy\",\"masthead\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/about-us\/\",\"actionableFeedbackPolicy\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/editorial-policy\/\",\"publishingPrinciples\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/editorial-policy\/\",\"ownershipFundingInfo\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/about-us\/\",\"noBylinesPolicy\":\"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/editorial-policy\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"AI Was Supposed to Make Work Easier\u2014Berkeley Researchers Say It\u2019s Doing the Opposite","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"AI Was Supposed to Make Work Easier\u2014Berkeley Researchers Say It\u2019s Doing the Opposite","og_description":"Artificial intelligence (AI) frequently sparks debate about the future of jobs and workplace satisfaction. Many organizations adopt AI with the expectation that daily tasks will become simpler and less repetitive. However, a closer look\u2014especially through the observations of two Berkeley researchers\u2014reveals a different reality. Instead of reducing workloads, AI often amplifies job demands in unforeseen [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/","og_site_name":"Ucstrategies News","article_published_time":"2026-03-14T16:53:21+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-03-31T08:16:54+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1500,"height":1000,"url":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ai-work.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Rachel Stern","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Rachel Stern","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/"},"author":{"name":"Rachel Stern","@id":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/accda6f70a5ae06088ce35f9be7fc3a0"},"headline":"AI Was Supposed to Make Work Easier\u2014Berkeley Researchers Say It\u2019s Doing the Opposite","datePublished":"2026-03-14T16:53:21+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-31T08:16:54+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/"},"wordCount":750,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ai-work.jpg","articleSection":"News","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/#respond"]}],"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/#organization"}},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/","url":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/","name":"AI Was Supposed to Make Work Easier\u2014Berkeley Researchers Say It\u2019s Doing the Opposite","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ai-work.jpg","datePublished":"2026-03-14T16:53:21+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-31T08:16:54+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/accda6f70a5ae06088ce35f9be7fc3a0"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ai-work.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ai-work.jpg","width":1500,"height":1000,"caption":"ai at work"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/ai-was-supposed-to-make-work-easier-berkeley-researchers-say-its-doing-the-opposite\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"AI Was Supposed to Make Work Easier\u2014Berkeley Researchers Say It\u2019s Doing the Opposite"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/#website","url":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/","name":"Ucstrategies News","description":"Insights and tools for productive work","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/#organization"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/accda6f70a5ae06088ce35f9be7fc3a0","name":"Rachel Stern","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/rachel-stern\/image","url":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/cropped-rachel-id.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/cropped-rachel-id.webp","caption":"Rachel Stern - AI Policy & Workplace Reporter at UCStrategies"},"description":"I cover AI policy, workplace transformation, and the human side of technology adoption for UCStrategies. My reporting examines how AI regulation is taking shape across the US and EU, how companies are rethinking productivity, and what happens when automation meets organizational culture. I'm particularly interested in the decisions that don't make headlines \u2014 how teams quietly restructure around AI tools, and who benefits when efficiency becomes the default metric. Expertise: AI Policy &amp; Regulation, Future of Work, Workplace Productivity, AI Ethics, Digital Workplace Strategy, Organizational Change.","url":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/author\/rachel-stern\/","jobTitle":"AI Policy & Workplace Reporter","worksFor":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/#organization","name":"UCStrategies"},"knowsAbout":["AI Policy & Regulation","Future of Work","Workplace Productivity","AI Ethics","Digital Workplace Strategy","Organizational Change","EU AI Act","Remote Work"],"sameAs":["https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/author\/rachel-stern\/"]},{"@type":["Organization","NewsMediaOrganization"],"@id":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/#organization","name":"UCStrategies","legalName":"UC Strategies","url":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/#logo","url":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/cropped-Nouveau-projet-11.jpg","width":500,"height":500,"caption":"UCStrategies Logo"},"description":"Expert news, reviews and analysis on AI tools, unified communications, and workplace technology.","foundingDate":"2020","ethicsPolicy":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/editorial-policy\/","correctionsPolicy":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/editorial-policy\/#corrections-policy","masthead":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/about-us\/","actionableFeedbackPolicy":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/editorial-policy\/","publishingPrinciples":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/editorial-policy\/","ownershipFundingInfo":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/about-us\/","noBylinesPolicy":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/editorial-policy\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3861","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3861"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3861\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3863,"href":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3861\/revisions\/3863"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3862"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3861"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3861"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ucstrategies.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3861"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}