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AI and the work environment: how do we create a sustainable working life?
AI can free up time and support learning, but it can also raise the pace and the mental load. Alice Holmgren explains what leaders and organisations need to consider as AI becomes part of the work environment.
Alice HolmgrenCEO of Alice Labs
The conversation is in Swedish.
AI opens new ways to work smarter
AI is rapidly changing how people search for information, solve problems and get work done. It also changes problem-solving itself: the focus shifts from doing individual tasks to formulating goals, defining problems and judging which results to aim for.
When efficiency creates new stressors
AI doesn’t necessarily reduce mental load. When repetitive tasks are automated, people are often left with the most complex parts: reviewing, judging, prioritising and deciding – with fewer natural breaks. There is also a risk that productivity gains are met with higher expectations of output.
Critical thinking matters more
AI tools are helpful and convincing, but people need to keep asking their own questions, doing their own analysis and critically reviewing answers. The future of work may need less time for searching and more ability to evaluate, interpret and use information wisely.
Leadership shapes the change
Introducing AI isn’t just a technology project. As the pace of change increases, clarity, trust and human contact become central leadership skills.
Relationships and human skills
When more people ask an AI tool instead of a colleague, the everyday interactions that build relationships, learning and belonging may decrease. Empathy, self-awareness, communication and judgement may become even more important.
Key takeaways
- AI can free up time but also increase cognitive load.
- Productivity gains need conscious decisions about workload and priorities.
- Critical thinking, judgement and creativity become even more important.
- Leadership and human connection shape whether AI makes work more sustainable.
