Researchers at UC Berkeley conducted an eight-month trial at a U.S.-based tech firm with approximately 200 employees, giving them free access to enterprise generative AI tools to assess impacts on productivity and work habits. Employees using the AI tools increased their work pace, accepted a wider array of responsibilities and often extended their hours, frequently without explicit requests from management. In 2025, global tech sector layoffs totaled 244,851, with nearly 70,000 positions—around 30%—attributed to AI-driven restructuring and efficiency initiatives. These results signal that aggressive AI integration by companies like Microsoft may boost output but risk employee burnout, necessitating careful change management and user support.