AI Anxiety at Work: What Leaders Cannot Ignore

How to address employee stress and uncertainty as AI reshapes the workplace

There's a new feeling showing up at work. It's a mix of curiosity, excitement, and a steady undercurrent of unease. The term emerging for this feeling? AI anxiety.

Artificial intelligence isn't just changing how we work, it's changing how we feel about work. In my conversations with employees, the same AI fears surface again and again.

Will AI take my job? Will it ease my workload or just increase the pressure to do more, faster?

These are no longer hypothetical concerns. They're showing up in therapy as cognitive overload, blurred work boundaries, change fatigue, and anxiety about job security and performance expectations. Recent research reveals 52% of workers worry about AI's future impact in the workplace, while only 36% express optimism. Employers have a critical role to play in terms of how AI is used and how they support employees through its psychological impact.

What is AI anxiety?

AI anxiety isnʼt an official diagnosis or clinical disorder. Itʼs a term people are using to describe the stress, fear, and apprehension around the growing role of artificial intelligence in the workplace. At its core, it reflects the uncertainty of how this technology will reshape jobs, expectations, and careers and how this uncertainty is a very real response to a massive technological shift.

AI anxiety can manifest as:

●     Chronic stress over job displacement

●     A feeling of being devalued or becoming obsolete

●     Pressure to master new tools while keeping up with current workloads

●     Burnout from the "infinite workday" where AI enables a 24/7 pace of work

For employers, unaddressed AI fear could quietly corrode the bottom line, leading to lower productivity, decreased engagement, and higher turnover as your best people seek more stable ground or remain physically present, but mentally elsewhere. Thatʼs why AI anxiety isnʼt a side effect to be treated later; itʼs a structural challenge that needs to be addressed at the source, before it grows into a bigger problem.

7 tips to build a human-centered AI strategy

The single most powerful tool you have in managing this transition is transparency. Transparency builds trust. If you're clear and consistent about how AI will be used (and just as importantly, how it wonʼt be), you'll cut down on uncertainty and keep your team engaged. When people get the 'why' and 'how,' they can handle the 'what' better. Here are a few ways to ease AI anxiety:

#1 Design with them, not for them

Who knows the work better than the people doing it every day? Instead of pushing a new process from the top down, bring your team into the conversation from the start. Ask them how AI could make their jobs better. Give them a sense of ownership, keep things flexible, and don't over-standardize the creative parts of work.

#2 Replace ambiguity with clarity

When AI starts handling certain tasks, people can get confused about what theyʼre supposed to do. Don't let that ambiguity linger. Be deliberate about redefining roles. Make it clear what each person's new responsibilities are and what success looks like. As things evolve, share the updated "map" of who does what to ease AI anxiety and keep everyone on the same page.

#3 Protect productivity by prioritizing people

It's easy for "AI makes it faster" to turn into an expectation for constant, high-speed output, which quickly leads to more fear of AI and burnout. Talk with your team about a realistic pace with these new tools. Carve out "think time" so people have the mental space to focus on complex, strategic problem-solving that AI canʼt. Thatʼs where your team will add the most value.

#4 Protect human connection

If you're not careful, automation can strip away the natural moments of connection that build a strong team. Intentionally design new workflows to include human interaction. Keep collaborative steps in the process and set up team huddles or peer groups where people can share what's working (and what's not).

#5 Support the supporters

Your managers are on the front lines of this change, tasked with delivering results while coaching their teams through uncertainty. Theyʼre the ones who will field questions like, "Is AI taking over jobs?" Your goal isn't to turn them into therapists, but to equip them as

effective, empathetic leaders. Train them on the fundamentals of change management: how to clearly communicate the 'why' behind the transition, listen to their team's concerns, and build trust through the process. To prevent burnout, ensure they have easy access to mental health resources for themselves—because leading through change is demanding work

#6 Turn "What if?" into "What's next?"

Get out in front of AI anxiety by making the future tangible. Show your team what their career path can look like by outlining internal opportunities and offering training for new skills. When you prove you're invested in helping employees grow, you build trust and security.

#7 Weave well-being into your strategy

Your mental health benefit is a core part of business strategy, especially in times of uncertainty. When employees feel supported, theyʼre more productive, engaged, and resilient. As AI reshapes work and fuels new anxieties, leading companies prioritize mental health from the start, embedding support into how they lead, communicate, and manage change. Giving employees access to human clinicians who understand workplace challenges is critical to helping them manage AI-related stress, adapt, and thrive.

Your AI strategy wonʼt work without a people strategy

AI is reshaping the workplace. How we care for our people through that change will define our culture and results. A resilient, engaged workforce grows from intentional, human-centered strategies.

Recommended Resources:

• The Social Anatomy of AI Anxiety: Gender, Generations, and Technological Exposure 

• Redefining Employee Experience for Todayʼs Workforce

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Joe Grasso, PhD is the Vice President of Workforce Transformation and Customer Marketing at Lyra Health, where he leads the development of integrated solutions and communications to advance workforce mental health at scale. A clinical psychologist by training, Dr. Grasso brings a systems-level lens to the design of workplace programs, guiding organizations to align business goals with sustainable well-being. At Lyra, he leads the company’s consulting services, customer marketing, content development, and community-building programs that serve employers with inspiring mentally healthy, high-performing workforces. Dr. Grasso’s insights have been featured in outlets such as CNN, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and Fast Company, where he’s known for translating research into actionable strategies for modern organizations. Before joining Lyra, he led national training initiatives and health services research at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. His peer-reviewed work spans integrated care, psychotherapy outcomes, and the mental health impacts of social identity.