Why are employees longing for the pre-AI era?

Despite the global rush to adopt artificial intelligence applications, a growing sense of nostalgia is emerging among a broad segment of employees for the work environment that preceded its arrival. What was once expected to be a tool that boosts productivity and lightens workloads has instead become a source of new pressures, altering the nature of jobs and performance evaluation methods. According to a report published by the Financial Times, job seekers complain of a decline in the human touch in hiring processes, as algorithms now handle resume screening and some job interviews are conducted via AI-driven programs, reinforcing the perception that technology has become an intermediary between humans and employment opportunities.

Higher productivity, greater pressure

Despite promises that AI will save time and give employees more space to focus on high-value tasks, studies point to mixed results. Researchers found that employees work at a faster pace and their responsibilities have expanded following the introduction of AI tools into the workplace, rather than their workload decreasing. Moreover, many users note that the time saved in preparing reports or completing tasks is offset by an equal, or even greater, amount of time spent verifying the accuracy of information and correcting errors generated by AI models, thereby diminishing the expected productivity gains.

A survey conducted by Adaptavist revealed that approximately 65% of office workers miss their professional lives before the spread of AI. Meanwhile, about a third of respondents stated they were willing to abandon generative AI tools because they limit creativity, while a similar proportion expressed concerns about the misuse of these technologies. Nearly half of the participants noted that the constant need to review and verify AI-generated content has made work more complex, contrary to the expectations surrounding the adoption of these tools.

Creativity under scrutiny

The impact of AI on creativity stands out as one of the most debated aspects. Studies focusing on creative writing suggest that while these tools help generate new ideas, they simultaneously make outputs more similar and less diverse. A study conducted by the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania reached similar conclusions: while the quality of some ideas improved, it came at the expense of diversity and differentiation, raising concerns that relying on AI as a sole source of inspiration could lead to homogeneous content lacking originality.

The report also notes that many companies have contributed to employee confusion by changing their policies regarding AI usage. Initially encouraging widespread use to automate tasks, firms later began imposing restrictions to control costs associated with running AI models. This shift coincides with ongoing concerns about AI’s impact on jobs, as well as ethical and environmental issues linked to the development and use of these technologies.

Objections to usage

The report argues that nostalgia for the pre-AI work environment does not necessarily reflect a rejection of technology or a call to return to the past, but rather anxiety over how AI is being integrated into the workplace. In this context, the author highlights the reactions to former Google CEO Eric Schmidt’s call for graduates to engage in the AI revolution. Some viewed his remarks as evidence that the issue is not rejecting technology, but rather giving workers the opportunity to question how it is used and its impact on their professional futures.

Seeking stability

The report concludes that nostalgia for the pre-AI era fundamentally reflects employees’ desire to regain a sense of stability, trust, and the ability to influence a work environment that is changing at a rapid pace. While AI holds significant potential to boost productivity and improve efficiency, its success will not be measured solely by its ability to automate tasks, but also by its capacity to enhance creativity, preserve the human role in work, and achieve a balance between technical efficiency and quality of working life.