By the end of 2025, approximately 88% of organizations worldwide had incorporated artificial intelligence (AI) into at least one business function, according to McKinsey’s latest Global Survey on the state of AI. While AI tools are often promoted for their ability to improve productivity and efficiency, a new study published in Scientific Reports suggests that the way employees use AI may have important psychological consequences. Researchers found that passive AI engagement at work — where employees copy and paste AI-generated responses to complete tasks — may weaken employees’ sense of meaning, confidence, and ownership over their work.
The study, co-authored by Yidan Yin, assistant professor of management and organization at Penn State’s Smeal College of Business, recruited approximately 270 professionals working in fields such as human resources, communications, and management through the online research platform Prolific. Participants completed writing assignments similar to their daily workplace tasks under three different conditions: working manually without AI, collaborating actively with AI to develop ideas, or passively relying on AI-generated responses. Researchers then measured participants’ feelings of self-efficacy, work meaningfulness, and psychological ownership, as well as task enjoyment and satisfaction with the final product.
The findings revealed clear differences between collaborative and passive AI use. Participants who relied passively on AI experienced nearly 20% declines in feelings of ownership over their work and approximately 10% declines in both self-efficacy and perceived meaningfulness compared to those who completed tasks manually. In contrast, participants who used AI collaboratively — treating it as a brainstorming or support tool rather than a replacement for their own thinking — reported levels of confidence and meaningfulness similar to those who worked independently without AI assistance. The researchers concluded that the manner in which employees engage with AI may be just as important as whether they use AI at all.
To better understand whether these psychological effects would persist, researchers designed a second writing task in which all participants were required to complete the assignment manually without AI assistance. Even after returning to manual work, participants who had previously relied passively on AI continued to report lower levels of self-efficacy and work meaningfulness. According to Yin, this suggests that passive AI use may create lingering effects that are not easily reversed once employees begin doubting their own abilities or feeling disconnected from their work.
The study also found that passive AI use initially increased task enjoyment and satisfaction with work outcomes. Participants who copied AI-generated responses reported up to 29% higher enjoyment and satisfaction during the first task because they could complete assignments more easily and with less effort. However, these positive feelings quickly declined once participants returned to manual writing. Their satisfaction levels eventually dropped to 21% lower than those of participants who had consistently worked without AI. Yin explained that while passive AI use may provide short-term convenience, it can also reduce employees’ motivation to engage deeply with their tasks and increase fears that AI could eventually replace them.
The researchers emphasized that organizations should be thoughtful about how AI is introduced and encouraged in the workplace. Simply asking employees to maximize productivity through AI may unintentionally promote passive dependence on these tools, potentially leading to alienation and reduced engagement over time. Yin noted that businesses should focus on encouraging employees to use AI collaboratively in ways that support creativity, critical thinking, and skill development rather than replacing human contribution altogether. As AI adoption continues to expand rapidly across industries, the research team plans to continue examining how organizations can balance productivity gains with employees’ long-term psychological well-being.
More information: Elena Hayoung Lee et al, Relying on AI at work reduces self-efficacy, ownership, and meaning while active collaboration mitigates the effects, Scientific Reports. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-42312-6
Journal information: Scientific Reports Provided by Penn State