CTE Research Initiative

Is your AI stack
frying your brain?

BCG research shows AI tools add 14% more mental effort. The Decision Load Index measures how much cognitive weight you're actually carrying.

The paradox: You adopted AI to work smarter. But every AI suggestion needs evaluation. Every output needs review. Every tool creates new decisions. BCG calls it "AI Brain Fry." We call it measurable.
Take the free 5-minute assessment Free. Private. About 5 minutes. Instant results.

What BCG found

14%
more mental effort monitoring AI outputs
BCG, 2026
12%
greater fatigue from AI tool oversight
BCG, 2026
34%
intend to leave their roles due to AI-related burnout
BCG, 2026
83%
of AI power users say AI increased their workload
HBR / UC Berkeley

The tools were supposed to reduce your cognitive load. For most knowledge workers, they added to it.

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What the Decision Load Index measures

The cognitive friction that AI tools create but nobody tracks.

  • Unresolved decisions competing for your attention
  • Context switching between tools and systems
  • Information overload from AI-generated outputs
  • Decision fatigue from evaluating AI suggestions

5 questions. About 5 minutes. Your score tells you where you stand.

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Assessment data

47
Average DLI score (0-100 scale)
4:32
Average completion time
864
Knowledge workers assessed
How we measure this →