Efficiency is the starting point, not the finish line
The focus on efficiency is understandable. Those who use AI today can work faster, automate routine tasks and scale output. But when every organisation has jumped on that bandwagon, efficiency becomes the baseline, not the advantage. The only thing left to differentiate on is quality.
That shifts the question entirely. If companies fill the freed-up hours with more work, burnout and opt-outs are just around the corner. Research from Harvard Business Review confirms this. AI does not reduce work, it intensifies it. Employees work at a faster pace and take on more tasks, which can lead to cognitive fatigue and lower-quality output.
But if organisations use that time for training, deepening customer insight or building team spirit, AI becomes a lever for wellbeing and growth. The report poses two deceptively simple questions worth asking every week: which 15 minutes of your day can AI take over, and what will you do with them? And the second question might be more important than the first one. The answer to where to spend time freed up by AI will lead to competitive advantages.
The concerns are real and differ by generation
AI adoption does not feel the same for everyone. Research by the World Economic Forum shows that 35% of Gen Z are concerned about the impact of technology, compared to just 8% of Baby Boomers. Younger employees use AI for everything and feel the consequences more directly, while older generations tend to push the effects into the future.
There is a sharper edge to this too. A new generation of graduates is entering the workforce with entire papers written with the help of AI. The long-term impact on analytical and critical thinking is still unclear. And with 37% of employers saying they would rather invest in AI than in young employees, there is a real risk of hollowing out the mid-level expertise that organisations need to develop future senior profiles.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. While many jobs are under threat, 170 million new ones are expected to emerge globally. The real question is about timing – when will the old roles disappear and when will the new ones be created? What seems certain is that a large part of the working population will need to be retrained.
AI is not standing still either
AI is no longer limited to writing support or inbox management. The next step is agentic AI: virtual colleagues that perform tasks autonomously, from sending emails to processing payments. And radically new applications are emerging that go well beyond efficiency. The report includes an example of AI being used as a creative partner in construction.
At the same time, the technology comes with real downsides. Research shows that more than half of AI-generated answers to factual questions contain errors, yet users rarely check the source. The phrasing sounds convincing, which makes the output feel reliable - even when it is not. That is why critical thinking remains essential, especially in a professional advisory context.
And then there is the energy question. AI runs day and night, even when no one is using it. Belgian data centres are expected to consume significantly more electricity in the coming decade, largely driven by AI. That environmental cost deserves a place in the strategic conversation, alongside efficiency and quality.
What you will find inside the report
The AI efficiency trap section of our Trend Report goes much further than the trends above. It includes concrete examples of companies navigating the tension between efficiency and quality, insights from BDO's own CEO and Chief AI Officer on how BDO is deliberately investing freed-up time in deeper work and client relationships, and five strategic questions every business leader should be asking about AI right now.
The report makes the case that AI can boost the quality of your work, your thinking and your decisions. But only if you approach it with the right questions and the right governance.
Get the full analysis
This article is part of our Trend Report: The business world in 2030, a collaboration between BDO Belgium and trendwatcher Tom Palmaerts.
