Invisible Effort in Digital Work and Its Relationship with Fatigue and Cognitive Surrender among Users of Generative Artificial Intelligence

Abstract

Digital cognitive work is undergoing rapid transformation due to the proliferation of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, while limited attention has been given to the hidden cognitive costs accompanying this shift. This study examines the relationships among digital usage intensity, invisible labor, cognitive fatigue, and cognitive surrender. A descriptive-analytical design was adopted, grounded in Cognitive Load Theory and Actor–Network Theory. A developed 20-item questionnaire was administered to an available purposive sample of 416 respondents (231 academics; 185 professionals) in Tulkarm Governorate, Palestine. The findings indicated that usage intensity was moderate (M = 3.66) and positively correlated with invisible labor (r = .612). Invisible labor and cognitive fatigue were high, whereas cognitive surrender was moderate (M = 3.53). Regression analysis showed that invisible labor explained 53.4% of the variance in cognitive fatigue, and cognitive fatigue explained 48.2% of the variance in cognitive surrender. ANOVA results revealed increasing cognitive costs with higher usage intensity and higher levels in academic compared to professional settings (p < .05), with no significant gender differences. The findings support the proposed sequential predictive model (Usage Intensity → Invisible Labor → Cognitive Fatigue → Cognitive Surrender).