AI and Worker Well-being: Evidence from a Nationally Representative Study

Alex Bryson, Antti Kauhanen and Petri Rouvinen

No 137, ETLA Working Papers from The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy

Abstract: Abstract Utilizing nationally representative cross-sectional and longitudinal data from Finland (2018–2023), we provide a population-level assessment of the relationship between AI and worker well-being. Contrary to international evidence suggesting a positive or an inverted U-shaped relationship, we find no systematic association between AI use intensity and job satisfaction. However, we do find that work engagement is higher among employees who are personally involved with AI, with the strongest association among intensive users for whom AI is an essential part of their work. Furthermore, technology-replacement fears have remained stable despite rapid AI advancement and do not predict subsequent labour market transitions. An interpretation is that Finland’s high-trust institutional environment and robust social safety nets may effectively moderate the disruptive psychological and economic shocks typically associated with rapid technological change.

Keywords: Artificial intelligence; Job satisfaction; Work engagement; Technology-related fears; Labour market transitions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J28 L23 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 36 pages
Date: 2026-04-07
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