New research from Jabra and The Happiness Research Institute suggests that the rise of AI in Australian workplaces may be doing more than boosting efficiency — it may be making workers happier. The findings indicate that employees who use AI frequently report significantly higher job satisfaction, more optimism about their careers and a stronger sense of purpose compared to those who use AI infrequently.
The study, Work and Wellbeing in the Age of AI, surveyed more than 3,700 knowledge workers across 11 countries, including over 300 in Australia. It found that Australian workers who use AI regularly are 45% more optimistic about their future job satisfaction than those who rarely use it. Frequent AI users also report dramatically higher levels of goal achievement (83% vs. 64%) and greater confidence in career advancement (63% vs. 39%).
Overall job satisfaction appears closely tied to broader life happiness. Australian workers who are highly satisfied in their jobs are six times more likely to report high life satisfaction, with the research showing 78% of highly satisfied employees have high life satisfaction — compared with just 13% among those with low job satisfaction.
Jabra ANZ Managing Director David Piggott said the findings challenge the assumption that AI’s value is purely operational. “As we see more and more AI usage in the workplace, it’s interesting to see how positively this technology is affecting workplace satisfaction,” he said. “The link between AI usage, workplace satisfaction and overall happiness opens the door for us to understand more deeply how technology and wellbeing intersect.”
Researchers found that AI use appears to enhance workers’ sense of progress and capability: frequent users report learning more often, achieving their goals more consistently and feeling a stronger sense of future purpose at work. The emotional impact of AI — confidence, motivation and belief in long-term career satisfaction — may become a defining factor in how organisations evaluate workplace technology.
Meik Wiking, CEO of The Happiness Research Institute, said the psychological dimension of AI adoption is often overlooked. “It’s easy to talk about AI in terms of productivity,” he said. “But we need to start talking about it in terms of psychology — how it affects identity, motivation and what people believe their future looks like.”
Despite the positive correlation between AI use and wellbeing, adoption remains uneven. Only 34% of Australian workers who use AI at work use it daily or hourly, and 30% say their organisation has taken no steps at all to prepare them for AI. More than half of workers (51%) say technical training is needed to confidently navigate the transition, and 46% say upskilling will be essential.
The research suggests that organisations sit at a pivotal moment: AI can improve outcomes for both productivity and wellbeing, but only if workers are given the tools, training and support to use it effectively. Otherwise, the benefits will remain concentrated among early adopters rather than the broader workforce.
As Australian organisations continue to integrate AI, the findings point toward a new design priority — not just building efficient workplaces, but emotionally intelligent ones. The study suggests that AI’s greatest potential may lie in shaping a more fulfilling future of work, where technology and wellbeing evolve together rather than in opposition.
