A few weeks ago, I asked my LinkedIn community: “Is AI influencing your experience of joy?” The majority (49%) said it was increasing their joy. That result might surprise some, but it speaks to an important truth: AI is not just about productivity or efficiency—it can also enhance creativity, connection, and even happiness.

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Reflections & wisdom

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When we use AI thoughtfully, it can free up time, reduce mental load, and spark new ideas. Instead of replacing human joy, it can amplify it. The key lies in seeing AI as a partner and tool, not a threat.

Here are a few ways AI agents and tools can become allies in building both personal and professional joy:

• Reduce Cognitive Load: AI can help manage repetitive tasks (emails, scheduling, summarizing), leaving more space for higher-value and joyful activities. Think of it as outsourcing mental clutter so your brain budget stays strong.

• Enhance Creativity: Writers, artists, entrepreneurs, and innovators are already using AI to brainstorm, prototype, and accelerate ideas. AI can provide a spark that gets your creative flow moving based on an initial idea or perspective.

• Support Learning & Growth: With AI-driven tutors, simulations, and personalized learning tools, growth no longer has to feel overwhelming. AI can adapt to your style, helping you learn faster and more enjoyably.

• Deepen Human Connection: Ironically, by automating the mundane, AI gives us more bandwidth for what machines can’t replicate—empathy, relationships, laughter, and presence with others.

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But you may be asking, beyond our small poll, what do scientific studies show when it comes to AI and happiness. 

• A 2025 peer-reviewed study found that people who engaged in conversations with an AI chatbot reported higher momentary happiness than those who simply journaled. This effect was especially pronounced during discussions of negative topics (like depression or guilt), where the AI’s positivity bias helped uplift users’ moods. The research demonstrates that expectation and sentiment alignment with empathetic AI interactions can boost subjective well-being.

• Research published in 2025 by the Happiness Research Institute found that frequent AI users (daily at work) reported 34% higher job satisfaction and were significantly more likely to feel purposeful and happy at work compared to non-users.

• Studies in workplace psychology highlight that using AI to handle repetitive or stressful tasks can reduce employee stress and increase feelings of motivation, engagement, and happiness—provided the AI is viewed as supportive rather than intrusive.

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If you would like to explore more ideas around AI's impact on humans and our world, listen to the following podcast interviews:

-The joy of creating AI beings with Jeanne Lim (Hong Kong)

-How AI will shape our future with Stephen Ibaraki (Canada)

-AI + Joy: The Secret Formula with Katrin J. Yuan (Switzerland)

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