AI burnout looms over more than half of Americans

But despite its ever-growing omnipresence, AI is still seen positively by 40% of the population; compared to 30% who see it negatively and 30% who feel neutral about it.

Sixty-nine percent use AI to some degree — 16% using it daily and 21% using it a few times per week. A third use it less frequently, either a few times per month (12%) or on rare occasions (20%).

Conducted by Talker Research, the survey revealed a mixed outlook on how well AI has been living up to people’s expectations.

A 2025 report from Forbes revealed many in today's workforce are hitting an AI-driven wall in their day-to-day. Author Caroline Castrillon explains in her article that it's being caused by "... a combination of organizational pressures, technological complexity and human psychology that creates an overwhelming environment for workers."

Nearly half (48%) believe AI has only partially lived up to the capabilities they were told the technology could handle. Meanwhile, 30% believe it has completely lived up to those expectations.

However, 17% believe it isn't quite there yet but might live up to their expectations some day in the near future. Only 6% believe AI will never live up to expectations.

With both AI use and fatigue on the rise, the study found some Americans are contemplating how they could ever "escape" the technology. Four in 10 (41%) believe they could effectively find a way to get away from AI. Many shared what their strategies would be:

"Basically, the only way to escape from it would be to completely cut yourself off," said one respondent. "I mean, you couldn’t answer a phone. If you didn’t know the number or get online, you could probably just watch TV that would be about it."

According to another, "Buy or rent a cabin on a lake in Minnesota. Make sure it is well-stocked with food and potable water. Unplug all devices. I would read and listen to nature."

One even opted for a simpler, straightforward solution: "Destroy my phone."

Siddhant Khare, software engineer building AI infrastructure and developer tools, reported on the paradox that AI presents: it's the ultimate productivity tool, and yet, it's exhausting users. From the POV of an engineer, he was using AI to code, but found himself consumed by reviewing and editing what AI generated.

He also found himself trapped by AI — bogged by new models, new tools, new methods, all of which required more and more study, rather than action.

He offered some more holistic advice on how to beat the fatigue, without needing to destroy phones or book any off-grid cabins in Minnesota.

"Use the time it saves you for rest, not more work," said Siddhant. "AI collapses the 'doing' part, which used to be a natural cognitive break between hard decisions. Without it, your brain runs at full load all day. The people who burn out are the ones who fill every freed-up minute with more tasks."

Research methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 general population Americans who have access to the internet; the survey was commissioned, administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Mar. 5 and Mar. 8, 2026. A link to the questionnaire can be found here.

To view the complete methodology as part of AAPOR’s Transparency Initiative, please visit the Talker Research Process and Methodology page.