A study has found that excessive use of AI can overload the brains of office workers.

In a paper published in the Harvard Business Review, Boston Consulting Group and a University of California, Riverside research team defined the cognitive overload that occurs when AI tools are overused or overseen excessively as “brain fry.” The researchers said the phenomenon can impose significant costs, including more employee mistakes, fatigue from decision-making and a higher intention to quit.

According to Axios, the researchers surveyed 1,488 U.S. full-time workers about their use of AI. Among AI users, 14 percent said they experienced mental fatigue by using or supervising AI tools excessively beyond their cognitive capacity. Respondents reported symptoms including a buzzing sensation in the head, reduced concentration, slower decision-making and headaches.

The group most exposed to the risk of brain fry was employees who used multiple AI tools at the same time or managed many AI agents. Boston Consulting Group partner Julie Bedard (줄리 베다르) said, “One reason we did the research is that we witnessed this phenomenon firsthand among people who had been recognized as high performers.”

While 14 percent may not seem like a large figure, the researchers interpreted it as a warning sign. The study also pointed to concerns that overuse could be encouraged as more companies factor AI use into performance evaluations.

Brain fry is distinguished from burnout caused by chronic workplace stress. The researchers advised that using AI to replace repetitive tasks can reduce the phenomenon.