Finnish Study of 2,000+ Workers Found No Clear Link Between Frequent AI Use and Exhaustion — Social Comparison Was More Consistently Associated

# AI Use Was Not Linked to Work Exhaustion. Social Comparison Was. Source: [https://humanumi.com/ai-use-was-not-linked-to-work-exhaustion-social-comparison-was/](https://humanumi.com/ai-use-was-not-linked-to-work-exhaustion-social-comparison-was/)  Pexels / Anna Tarazevich A Finnish follow\-up study of more than 2,000 workers found no clear link between frequent workplace AI use and exhaustion\. What stood out more was social comparison: people who were more inclined to compare themselves with others generally reported greater exhaustion\. A colleague finishes a task in minutes with AI\. You are still figuring out which tool to use\. The question can quickly shift from “Does this help me?” to “Am I falling behind?” This kind of situation illustrates the social comparison that can arise at work\. People with a stronger tendency to compare themselves with others reported more exhaustion\. Workers who felt better prepared to understand and use AI generally reported less exhaustion\. Using AI often is not the same as feeling capable of using it\. Someone can use AI every day and still feel uncertain about what they are doing\. ## Feeling prepared to use AI also mattered The study measured perceived readiness rather than participants’ actual AI skills\. It also did not test whether training would reduce exhaustion\. In one exploratory analysis, frequent AI use appeared to be associated with greater exhaustion among workers who compared themselves with others more strongly than average\. The primary analyses did not find this interaction between AI use and social comparison, so the subgroup result needs further study\. ## What the study leaves open All the main measures were based on participants’ own reports\. The exhaustion measure captured emotional exhaustion, one component of burnout, rather than the full syndrome\. The findings also do not establish which came first\. The analyses examined associations across repeated surveys rather than showing that social comparison caused later exhaustion\. For employers, the study raises questions that go beyond AI adoption rates\. Do workers feel capable of using the tools? What expectations surround them? Does learning happen collaboratively, or does it feel like a competition? The study raises those questions but did not test solutions to them\. **Iina Savolainen**and colleagues at Tampere University followed employed adults aged 18 to 65 in Finland across three surveys in 2024 and 2025\. The first survey included 2,109 participants, the second 1,680 and the final survey 1,479\. The study was published in*SSM – Population Health*on June 29, 2026\. RESEARCH REFERENCE **Reference:**“Social comparison contributes to work exhaustion in the context of workplace AI use: A three\-wave follow\-up study of Finnish workers” by Iina Savolainen, Teijo Osma, Roope Grönroos, Moona Heiskari, Atte Oksanen,*SSM – Population Health*\. **DOI:**[10\.1016/j\.ssmph\.2026\.101945](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2026.101945) **Additional source:**[Tampere University Research Portal](https://researchportal.tuni.fi/fi/publications/social-comparison-contributes-to-work-exhaustion-in-the-context-o/) Want to see more from HUMANUMi in Google? ## Latest News - [](https://humanumi.com/healthier-diets-showed-up-in-older-adults-blood-but-that-doesnt-mean-slower-aging/)### [What Healthy Eating Looks Like in the Blood After 60 — Findings From Nearly 1,800 Older Adults](https://humanumi.com/healthier-diets-showed-up-in-older-adults-blood-but-that-doesnt-mean-slower-aging/) September 27, 2026 - [](https://humanumi.com/substance-use-disorder-and-suicidal-behaviour-clustered-in-the-same-families/)### [The Hidden Danger of Alcohol and Drug Use Disorders — 44% Had a Suicidal Event](https://humanumi.com/substance-use-disorder-and-suicidal-behaviour-clustered-in-the-same-families/) September 27, 2026 - [](https://humanumi.com/very-preterm-birth-was-linked-to-disability-pension-in-early-adulthood/)### [Very Preterm Birth Was Linked to Disability Pension in Early Adulthood](https://humanumi.com/very-preterm-birth-was-linked-to-disability-pension-in-early-adulthood/) September 26, 2026 - [](https://humanumi.com/three-months-of-exercise-improved-mood-but-not-memory-in-middle-age/)### [Three Months of Exercise Improved Mood but Not Memory in Middle Age](https://humanumi.com/three-months-of-exercise-improved-mood-but-not-memory-in-middle-age/) September 26, 2026 - [](https://humanumi.com/what-a-therapist-feels-in-their-body-may-shape-how-they-experience-the-therapeutic-bond/)### [What a Therapist Feels in Their Body May Shape How They Experience the Therapeutic Bond](https://humanumi.com/what-a-therapist-feels-in-their-body-may-shape-how-they-experience-the-therapeutic-bond/) September 26, 2026 - [](https://humanumi.com/an-epilepsy-drug-was-linked-to-fewer-migraine-aura-days/)### [An Epilepsy Drug Was Linked to Fewer Migraine Aura Days](https://humanumi.com/an-epilepsy-drug-was-linked-to-fewer-migraine-aura-days/) September 26, 2026 - [](https://humanumi.com/a-familiar-dog-may-relieve-stress-and-free-up-mental-capacity/)### [A Familiar Dog May Relieve Stress and Free Up Mental Capacity](https://humanumi.com/a-familiar-dog-may-relieve-stress-and-free-up-mental-capacity/) September 26, 2026 - [](https://humanumi.com/ai-changed-job-tasks-more-often-than-it-eliminated-them/)### [AI Changed Job Tasks More Often Than It Eliminated Them](https://humanumi.com/ai-changed-job-tasks-more-often-than-it-eliminated-them/) September 26, 2026 - [](https://humanumi.com/ai-increases-student-learning-motivation-but-there-are-a-few-caveats/)### [AI Increases Student Learning Motivation – But There Are a Few Caveats](https://humanumi.com/ai-increases-student-learning-motivation-but-there-are-a-few-caveats/) September 25, 2026 - [](https://humanumi.com/the-surprising-effect-of-a-20-minute-music-break-on-stressed-workers/)### [The Surprising Effect of a 20\-Minute Music Break on Stressed Workers](https://humanumi.com/the-surprising-effect-of-a-20-minute-music-break-on-stressed-workers/) September 23, 2026 - [](https://humanumi.com/deep-sleep-may-reveal-why-memory-fades-with-age/)### [Deep Sleep May Reveal Why Memory Fades With Age](https://humanumi.com/deep-sleep-may-reveal-why-memory-fades-with-age/) September 23, 2026 - [](https://humanumi.com/doctors-grieve-their-patients-too-but-death-is-still-taboo-at-work/)### [Doctors Grieve Their Patients Too — But Death Is Still Taboo at Work](https://humanumi.com/doctors-grieve-their-patients-too-but-death-is-still-taboo-at-work/) September 23, 2026 - [](https://humanumi.com/why-are-zombie-movies-and-tv-shows-so-popular-research-offers-some-answers/)### [Why Are Zombie Movies and TV Shows So Popular? Research Offers Some Answers](https://humanumi.com/why-are-zombie-movies-and-tv-shows-so-popular-research-offers-some-answers/) September 23, 2026 [More Latest News](https://humanumi.com/latest-news-archive/?query-2-page=2)