As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes deeply
embedded in work, education, and everyday decision-making, a growing
psychosocial challenge has emerged: AI fatigue. This paper conceptualises AI
fatigue as a multidimensional condition arising from the interplay of
technostress, cognitive overload, and emotional exhaustion, driven not only by
constant AI use but also by the relentless pace, opacity, and unevenness of AI
integration. Drawing on Technostress Theory and Cognitive Load Theory, the
study differentiates AI fatigue from broader digital burnout while highlighting
their intersections in cognitive, emotional, and organisational domains. Using
a narrative literature review with thematic synthesis, the paper identifies key
drivers of AI fatigue, including poor design, ethical opacity, organisational
misalignment, and structural inequality. It argues that AI fatigue is not
merely an individual adaptation issue but a systemic outcome of current digital
transformation practices. To address this emerging condition, the paper
outlines strategies for human-centred AI design, policy safeguards, and
organisational wellbeing interventions, advocating a shift from
productivity-first to psychological sustainability-first approaches. The study
concludes by calling for empirical, longitudinal, and cross-sector research to
better understand and mitigate AI fatigue as a structural feature of life in
the algorithmic era.
