Executive Summary
Hospitality and event organizations are rapidly adopting artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as chatbots, virtual concierges, automated marketing, and AI‑driven scheduling to address labor shortages and improve efficiency. Emerging research, however, warns of “AI brain fry,” a pattern of mental fatigue, information overload, and decision difficulty linked to intensive AI use and oversight. Drawing on recent empirical work on AI brain fry, large‑scale surveys of AI users, and industry reports on burnout and AI adoption, this research report synthesizes secondary evidence and applies it to hospitality and event contexts. Three high‑risk scenarios are highlighted: guest‑facing chatbots and escalation fatigue, event marketing and analytics overload, and AI‑driven scheduling and assignment systems. The analysis suggests that AI can create an “illusion of productivity” – employees and managers feel faster and more high‑tech, while objective performance, error rates, and well‑being may deteriorate. AI brain fry appears most likely when staff must monitor, verify, and correct outputs from multiple AI tools rather than using AI to truly remove low‑value work. Practical guidelines are offered for hospitality and event leaders: limit AI tool sprawl, clarify which tasks are automated versus human‑owned, rotate staff through AI‑intensive roles, and provide role‑specific AI training and guardrails. These recommendations aim to help organizations harness AI while sustaining employee well‑being and service quality.
Recommended Citation
Tsai, Ken and Su, Joan
(2026)
"AI Brain Fry in Hospitality and Events: Designing Tech Smart Work That Protects Employee Well-Being,"
ICHRIE Research Reports: Vol. 11:
Iss.
5, Article 5.
DOI: 10.61701/491015.469
Available at:
https://via.library.depaul.edu/ichrie_rr/vol11/iss5/5
