Taming the AI ‘beast' without losing ourselves

Business Times

14 hours ago

THE rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it promises unparalleled efficiency, cost savings and innovation. On the other hand, it fuels anxiety, job insecurity and mental strain for millions of workers.
As AI continues its relentless march into every corner of the workplace, the psychological toll on employees cannot be ignored. The question is no longer whether AI will reshape work (it already has), but how we can harness its power without sacrificing human well-being.
The challenge is not insignificant.
The beauty: AI's promise
AI's transformative potential is undeniable.
In law, tools such as Ross Intelligence and Casetext analyse legal precedents in seconds, saving lawyers hours of painstaking research. AI-driven contract platforms such as LexisNexis and Kira Systems flag risks and suggest edits with near-human precision.
For accountants, AI automates data entry, compliance checks and even audit sampling, reducing errors and freeing up time for higher-value work.
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The gains are real. It is estimated that lawyers in the US, thanks to AI, could reclaim 266 million hours of billable time a year – roughly US$100,000 in additional annual revenue per lawyer.
Similar efficiencies ripple across industries, from healthcare to finance. AI doesn't just streamline tasks; it redefines what's possible.
But this efficiency has a human cost. The uncomfortable (unarticulated) challenge is clear: These lawyers must now quickly uncover new value-added services to replace work that AI performs more quickly and cheaply.
The beast: AI's psychological toll
The dark side of AI's workplace revolution is the pervasive fear of obsolescence for the individual.
In 2023, Pew Research found that 62 per cent of workers worry that AI could replace their jobs. Goldman Sachs estimates that 300 million jobs worldwide may be affected by AI and its algorithmic automation potential.
The disruption is widespread, affecting low-skilled roles as well as professionals in law, accounting and even creative fields.
This AI challenge has a stark impact on individuals' mental health.
Chronic job insecurity breeds stress, depression and burnout. The American Psychological Association links automation anxiety to decreased job satisfaction and heightened workplace tension.
A 2023 study by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development tied rapid upskilling demands to rising burnout rates, while Gallup found 48 per cent of workers feel overwhelmed by the pace of technological change, finding it hard to keep up – much less compete – with AI.
For those who do lose jobs to AI, the consequences are even grimmer. University of Cambridge research shows that communities hit by AI automation experience higher rates of substance abuse and suicide.
Unemployed individuals are twice as likely to suffer mental health disorders, based on research from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg.
Put simply, AI's efficiency gains come with a high yet hidden tax on human well-being.
Taming the beast: mitigation strategies
So, how do we reconcile AI's benefits with its human costs? The answer lies in proactive, multipronged strategies that prioritise both productivity and mental health.
Upskilling is often touted as the antidote to AI-driven job loss. Companies such as Amazon and Google have invested billions in training programmes – Amazon's 'Upskilling 2025', for instance, pledged US$1.2 billion towards AI and cloud computing education for its employees.
These initiatives are critical, but insufficient on their own.
The pressure to constantly reskill can be a source of stress in itself. This is similar to 'technostress', the strain experienced by employees in digital fields who must continuously learn new software and tools.
Reskilling programmes must be paired with career and personal counselling, flexible timelines and realistic expectations. Otherwise, we risk trading job insecurity for burnout.
Employers must recognise and treat AI-related stress as a workplace hazard. Access to mental health programmes, therapists and peer support networks can help employees navigate this AI-induced uncertainty.
A 2023 Deloitte report highlighted that companies investing in mental health saw not just happier employees, but higher productivity. Workers in organisations with robust mental health support saw a 30 per cent drop in absenteeism.
Transparency and candour in the workplace are also key. Workers need clear communication about how AI will be integrated in the workplace, which roles may change, and how the company plans to support them.
The principle behind this approach is simple: Uncertainty fuels anxiety, whereas clarity fosters trust.
Preserving human connection
Unfortunately, AI's rise has coincided with a decline in workplace socialisation.
Chatbots, virtual assistants and remote work tools reduce in-person interaction, exacerbating employee isolation. The American Psychological Association notes that remote workers relying heavily on AI report higher levels of isolation and loneliness.
Employers should design workflows that balance automation with human collaboration. Hybrid models, team-building activities and 'AI-free' zones can help maintain needed social bonds.
After all, productivity is not just about output; it is also about people.
But corporate initiatives alone will not solve the systemic challenges. Policymakers must step in with stronger social safety nets – universal healthcare, unemployment benefits tailored for displaced workers, and incentives for companies to retain human labour in the workforce.
Ethical AI frameworks are also essential. Tech developers should prioritise tools that augment human work rather than replace it outright. The goal should be partnership and optimisation, not displacement.
This may seem idealistic, but it is critical to the individual employee, the community and, ultimately, society.
Finding a way
AI is here to stay. The choice is not between embracing it or rejecting it. Rather, it is about shaping its integration with humanity in mind.
OpenAI's Sam Altman mused about the potential for a one-person, billion-dollar company powered by AI, but we must ask: At what cost?
This is not a zero-sum game. AI can drive progress without eroding mental well-being, but only if we act deliberately and intentionally. Employers, policymakers and tech leaders must collaborate to ensure that the AI revolution lifts people up rather than leaves them behind.
The stakes are high.
If we fail, we risk winning the battle for efficiency (and technology), but losing the war for human mental wellness and relevance in the workplace.
Should this happen, it would be a human tragedy of epic proportions – and one entirely of our own doing.
The writer is the group general counsel of Jardine Cycle & Carriage, a member of the Jardine Matheson Group. He sits on several commercial boards, including that of the charity Jardines Mindset, which focuses on mental health, and the global guiding council of the US mental health charity One Mind at Work.