Social media professionals often have multiple jobs rolled into one: content creation, data analysis, customer service, external communications and marketing. But those demands are taking a toll on professionals' mental health.
Generative AI is one solution -- and part of the problem.
Metricool, a social media management platform, surveyed nearly 1,000 social media professionals and found that three-quarters said they manage too many responsibilities at once. Nearly 70% report mental fatigue, with 46% saying they have experienced burnout or near-burnout symptoms, according to the 2026 report, which was shared exclusively with CNET.
"We've built an industry that expects real-time creativity, performance, crisis management, and constant availability -- often from one person or a very small team. This just isn't sustainable or healthy," said Anniston Ward, education manager at Metricool. Nearly half of respondents (46%) have considered leaving the field because of stress.
In a role many companies deem necessary but don't fully understand, social media professionals are a prime example of how modern workers are expected to do more with fewer resources and use AI to fill gaps, regardless of whether the new tech will actually help.
Social media professionals have been using AI behind the scenes for a while. But Metricool found that AI is not only more common in workflows -- it's also the most popular tool among workers experiencing burnout.
Burnout is the result of ongoing workplace stress, according to the World Health Organization. It manifests as exhaustion, feelings of negativity, a sense of ineffectiveness or inability to feel a sense of accomplishment. Burnout is a problem every industry faces, and the "always on" culture that dominates social media makes those workers prime targets.
Read more: AI Slop Is Destroying the Internet. These Are the People Fighting to Save It
Jordan Grubbs, a longtime creator and founder of digital marketing agency Influence Media Marketing, said mental fatigue is the biggest sign she's burnt out.
"Social media management is constant context switching. I'm moving between different brands, different tones of voice, different goals, different industries," Grubbs said. Constant changes to social platforms pile on. "That cognitive load adds up. When I'm burned out, even small tasks feel heavy, and my to-do list feels impossible."
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