In 2025, AI became a routine part of life for most people. Earlier this year, KPMG revealed that 66% now use AI regularly. On top of that, EY’s 2025 AI Survey found that in workplaces, the use of AI is making work more complicated.
These reports also point to rising levels of stress and overwhelm linked to rapid AI adoption, and clinicians warn that the lack of clear rules and guidelines around AI use risks pushing us toward a mental health crisis.
The workplace is where this pressure is most visible. 64% of employees feel overloaded by the constant stream of new AI tools at work and report that their workload has increased rather than eased over the past year. At the same time, only half of employees say they have any form of AI training or clear internal policies on its use, KPMG added.
“People aren’t just learning a new tool once, they’re living in a state of permanent adaptation,” said Dr. Hannah Nearney, clinical psychiatrist and UK Medical Director at Flow Neuroscience, a company developing brain stimulation treatment for depression. “When the brain is repeatedly pushed to process new systems and higher expectations in productivity with unclear rules, the stress becomes chronic. Without clearer rules, chronic stress becomes an easy path to burnout, anxiety, and even depression.”
Economic uncertainty amplifies this strain. EY’s survey also showed that over half of workers are worried about their job security as AI becomes more capable and fear that their roles could be replaced entirely.
“When you’re constantly worried about your skills becoming irrelevant, every new AI update feels like a threat,” said Dr. Kultar Singh Garcha, NHS GP and Chief Medical Officer at Flow Neuroscience. “More than that, worries about livelihood are a different kind: they push the brain into survival mode, which easily drains its resources. If a person is experiencing this regularly, their mental health is set to decline.”
The lack of AI regulations fuels worries about the privacy and security of personal data, too, KPMG emphasised. It showed 70% of people believe regulations are necessary, but less than half see current laws as enough.
The same study indicates that loss of human connection is one of the most reported concerns around AI use.
“I’ve seen that many times in my practice too, where patients ask the chatbot what they should feel or do, instead of checking in with themselves or reaching out to others,” explained Dr. Nearney. “AI may provide useful information or practical advice, but people often forget that what they need is to tune into their emotions or simply to be listened to by another human being.”
As stress levels rise, the people who interact with AI the most – Millennials and Gen Z – are also the most proactive about protecting their mental health, Deloitte’s 2025 Future of Wellness report shows.
“Younger generations know that the presence of AI in their lives will only grow, and it’s great to see that they are looking for ways to manage stress before it escalates into anxiety or depression,” said Dr. Garcha. “We’ve seen growing interest in our technology this year, too, particularly among younger adults, and more regulatory approvals in different countries. Rising AI-related stress is one of the reasons.”
The technology Dr. Garcha refers to is a non-invasive form of brain stimulation (tDCS). Many patients tell him they want to try evidence-based tools before turning to medication, especially when their main concerns are rising stress, anxiety, and low mood linked to work and technology use.
Flow Neuroscience launched in Sweden in 2019. Since then, its at-home brain-stimulation device for depression has received regulatory approval and is available in several regions, including the EU, UK, and Australia. The device targets brain areas involved in mood regulation, and can also help ease anxiety. A clinical study published in Nature Medicine found that brain stimulation reduced depressive symptoms in more than 70% of patients.
“There are many tools that can help people ease AI-related stress daily: from meditation and mindfulness apps to mental health devices and psychotherapy. Enough sleep and physical activity are also important,” Dr. Nearney said. “Coping on your own isn’t enough, though. As AI develops, the stress it creates won’t disappear. We need proper AI training, clear workplace rules, and national regulations that put people’s well-being at the centre. At the end of the day, AI was created to make life and work easier, not harder.”
