Artificial intelligence often is promoted as a way to boost productivity and help businesses run more smoothly. But for many entrepreneurs, especially small business owners, the flood of AI tools can have the opposite effect. Instead of making things easier, it can cause mental exhaustion, confusion, and burnout, now called tech fatigue.
In Sacramento, Cameo Roberson, CEO of Atlas Park Consulting, sees this tension play out often. As an operations expert, she guides businesses through the maze of AI tools, helping them find clarity amid the confusion. And for more than two decades, she has worked with growing businesses across the country that are successful on paper but struggling operationally.
“There are so many tech options, and the fatigue comes from not knowing what [tools] to use or using too many,” Roberson says. “Technology is supposed to help, but it’s overwhelming.”
Roberson helps businesses untangle operational holes, silent revenue leaks, workflow inefficiencies, underused technology, and capacity constraints so they can streamline operations and scale sustainably.
While AI has become a prominent part of those conversations since 2023, she says the problem isn’t artificial intelligence itself, it’s how businesses adopt it.
“There are a lot of AI options,” says Roberson. “Business owners jump on what everyone else is using without asking why. They’re paying for software they don’t understand or need.”
That experience aligns with broader national data. According to the American Psychological Association, more than 60% of U.S. adults report technology as a significant source of stress, while nearly three-quarters feel overwhelmed by the volume of digital tools they use daily. In the workplace, constant notifications, new platforms, and unclear expectations fuel burnout instead of reducing it.
Dr. Jingwen Zhang, director of the Communication in Health and Technology Research Lab at UC Davis, describes tech fatigue as a state in which people experience anxiety, pressure, and cognitive overload when new technologies are introduced into daily work routines without a clear structure or support.
Zhang notes that this phenomenon isn’t new. During the pandemic, researchers documented “Zoom fatigue” as workers were forced to engage in continuous virtual interaction.
AI, she argues, represents a broader and more complex version of that problem.
“What’s different now is the speed. AI tools evolve quickly, and expectations are unclear, creating constant pressure to keep up,” Zhang says. “That fear of falling behind is exhausting.”
To counter that exhaustion, Zhang points to the emerging concept of tech wellness, a deliberate effort to create healthier relationships between humans and technology.
“Wellness isn’t about rejecting technology,” she says. “It’s about designing systems that help people feel capable and in control.”
For Roberson, practicing tech wellness involves several steps. She starts by evaluating which tools help her clients reach their business goals. She guides them to assess their current technology, eliminate redundancies, and prioritize tools that offer clear value.
“Just because a tool exists doesn’t mean you need it,” she says. “Ask: What does my business need to function well today?”
AI tools like ChatGPT, Zoom AI, and Otter can streamline work, but only when used intentionally.
“It wasn’t until mid-2023 that I really saw how AI could reduce burnout,” Roberson says. “I started with ChatGPT, learned what it could help me do, and built from there. If you don’t know why you’re using something, it just adds noise.”
Roberson adds that she uses AI as a “thinking partner,” but she remains in control of her critical thinking. She warns against treating AI as a replacement for judgment or expertise.
That philosophy resonates with Latifah Abdur, a fractional chief marketing officer and brand strategist at Elite Vivant who has worked alongside Cameo for years. Abdur describes herself as someone who loves AI tools and has felt overwhelmed by them.
“I’ve seen tools come and go for a decade,” Abdur says. “Tech wellness means using tools that reduce mental load and give you time back.”
When AI tools began gaining traction in late 2022, Abdur and Cameo were among the early adopters, but proceeded cautiously. Rather than chasing every new platform, Cameo helped Abdur streamline referral workflows and internal processes using a small, intentional set of tools.
“She didn’t just say ‘Use AI,’” Abdur says. “She showed me why and where, and that clarity made the difference.”
Through Cameo’s referral framework, Abdur learned clear tech wellness steps: using AI to strengthen partnerships, organizing ideas efficiently, and eliminating repetitive tasks. For instance, one step is adopting voice-to-text tools like Otter, which helped Abdur quickly capture and organize ideas without increasing her workload.
“Getting ideas out of your head and into a system changes everything,” Abdur says.
Zhang explains that when organizations or small businesses leave AI experimentation entirely to their employees, fatigue increases.
“Leadership matters,” Zhang says. “Someone must decide which tools to use and set expectations.”
Without clarity, Zhang warns, people risk becoming cognitively dependent or using machines for validation, which can be harmful.
Alexander Sasha Sidorkin, former director of the National Institute on AI in Society at Sacramento State, emphasizes the importance of adopting technology only when it solves a real business problem, not simply because it’s hyped.
“The small business that uses AI effectively is the one that recognizes a clear need,” Sidorkin says. “Without a defined problem, technology won’t solve anything; it will just create more noise.
Sidorkin does not believe AI will sideline humans across the board.
“I don’t think AI is going to replace every business. It may change how some businesses operate, but it’s not there yet,” Sidorkin says. “Some industries may automate more quickly, like customer service, but other sectors, especially ones based on human relationships, won’t be replaced.”
Looking ahead, experts agree AI will reshape business, but how it affects human well-being is uncertain. For Roberson, the central argument is that the future depends on balance — using technology only when it directly supports business needs and focusing on tech wellness over tech accumulation.
“Technology isn’t going anywhere,” she says. “Wellness comes from diagnosing what your business truly needs and applying tools intentionally. Not everything available belongs in your workflow.”
Business owners should consider three steps when adopting AI tools: first, audit your current technology to identify redundant tools. Then eliminate those that don’t add clear value. Finally, pilot new AI solutions on a small scale to assess their effectiveness.
As small businesses navigate the AI era, the key challenge is not learning to use more technology but knowing when and why to say no. Intentional, selective adoption is essential to achieve tech wellness and avoid fatigue.