Researching how AI reshapes our life at work.
Future of Work Lab is an independent research project by Eric P. Rhodes focused on the human side of AI adoption: trust, autonomy, meaning, stress, surveillance, collaboration, and the conditions that make change sustainable.
Follow along as I share Lab Notes—research findings, questions, and working ideas on AI, labor, and the future of work. Subscribe at notes.futureofworklab.org.
What it is: a research notebook in public + a home for a flagship study and related materials.
What it isn’t: a consulting agency or a services firm (at least not right now).
If you’re working on AI adoption and want to compare notes, I’m always open to thoughtful conversations.
AI adoption is not just a tooling decision—it’s a human-centered organizational change process. The interesting questions are often second‑order:
My bias is practical: clearer questions, better evidence, less hype.
I’m Eric P. Rhodes, an independent researcher, designer, and artist. I’ve spent 20+ years across experience design and emerging technology, including roles at Google and Twitter. I hold a master’s degree in labor and employment relations (Rutgers University).
I also run Second Realm, my digital art studio exploring blockchain and AI through creative projects.
This study examines how AI adoption relates to worker experience—stress, autonomy, surveillance, collaboration, and meaning—across multiple sectors. It started with a small pilot and expanded to a broader survey (n = 300+). Analysis is ongoing, and the full working paper and supporting materials are available below.
Cite this work:
Rhodes, Eric P. (2025). Measuring the Human Experience of AI in the Workplace. Future of Work Lab. OSF Preprint. https://osf.io/wxzby
Rather than prediction, I'm focused on what seems to be emerging in practice—patterns, tensions, and questions worth tracking.
A recurring theme I’m hearing:
“The real fear isn’t losing jobs to AI. It’s losing agency over how it’s used.”
Preliminary finding, Future of Work Lab
This research is conducted independently and follows standard ethical practices for research with human participants (informed consent, anonymity, and data protection). The study was initially prepared for IRB review at Rutgers University but is not currently under IRB oversight. The researcher has completed formal ethics training (CITI Program). All participant data is de‑identified and handled using open‑science and privacy best practices.