How Managers Use AI To Free Up Time for Mentoring

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Mentoring can be deeply rewarding, but managers are sometimes finding it tough to make the time. A Gallup report shows managers are burning out under heavier workloads and near-constant disruption. The strain on today’s managers is reaching a breaking point. In fact, nearly 70% say they’d walk away from leading their teams altogether if they could, according to research by Perceptyx.

With growing demands come more documents, messages, and updates. In addition to fueling burnout, the heavier admin loads leave little time for mentoring employees.

The problem is, organizations pay a price when mentoring gets pushed aside. Mentorship elevates the whole workforce and prepares tomorrow’s leaders. It preserves wisdom, accelerates skills, and keeps companies resilient as technology advances and experienced talent retires.

AI can offer relief — not by acting as a mentor, but by easing the busywork. When routine tasks move faster, managers can spend more time nurturing team members.

This article draws on a conversation between researchers at Upwork and Dr. Jenna Butler, principal applied research scientist at Microsoft and a leading voice on human–AI collaboration. Together, they share practical ways managers can use AI to make more space for real human connection.

The first step is understanding that…

AI is an amplifier, not a replacement, for mentors

Many people think of AI primarily as a way to replace human work. Dr. Butler offers a different perspective: Don’t ask, What tasks can AI do instead of humans? Instead ask, What new things can humans do with AI that were never possible before?

Automating tasks may deliver short-term efficiency gains, but history shows transformation comes from something bigger: creating entirely new capabilities, professions, and ways of working. As Dr. Butler explains, “Electricity didn’t just replace gas lamplighters — it gave rise to electrical engineering, home appliances, repair services, and modern manufacturing. These were jobs and domains that didn’t previously exist.”

So instead of asking, How can AI replace a person for ___? The real question is: How can AI help me be a better mentor?

The answer lies in finding ways for AI to free up time for the uniquely human parts of leadership, like coaching, giving thoughtful feedback, and advocating for career growth.

Ways AI gives back time to managers

You don’t need to create custom GPTs to use AI in this way. Chances are, you’ve got the capabilities built into the AI tools you have now. 

Example: Prepping for one-on-ones

Before each one-on-one, you use an AI workplace assistant (e.g., Slack AI, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini) to create a short brief that includes recent wins, blockers, decisions, and open questions pulled from meeting notes and project tools.

Then review the brief for accuracy, add context, and choose one growth topic to dive deeper into. By saving time gathering updates, you have more time to spend listening, reflecting, and planning next steps with the team member.

Use AI to streamline all of your workflows wherever possible. Not only could it help you spend fewer hours at your desk, but you can also reinvest some of the time you save into structured mentoring, like blocking time for recurring one-on-ones.

Of course, mentoring also creates more admin work. AI can help relieve some of that too by:

• Drafting feedback faster. Generate a first-pass summary of progress and gaps, then refine tone and examples to make it personal.
• Turning past meetings into insights. Summarize decisions, risks, and action items to maximize time coaching on contributions.
• Simplifying career planning. Pull project history and skills into draft development plans, giving you time to discuss aspirations and opportunities.
• Scheduling and follow-up. Use AI to suggest meeting times, send reminders, and track follow-ups to maintain momentum between conversations.

Guardrails against overreliance

AI tools are getting so advanced that their output is sounding more human, making it easy for people to lean on them too heavily. The problem is, “A large language model isn’t a cheaper version of a human. It doesn’t have emotions, intelligence, or lived experience,” reminds Dr. Butler. 

“A large language model isn’t a cheaper version of a human. It doesn’t have emotions, intelligence, or lived experience.”

Outsourcing tasks is one thing, but when you outsource judgment, you risk overreliance. To get the benefits of AI without eroding trust, create clear guardrails that promote transparency and keep you accountable. A few ways to do this:

• Clarify scope. Let your team know what information will be summarized and how it will be used.
• Review outputs. Always check and personalize AI-generated drafts before sharing. Prompt AI to include source links, so you can verify data.
• Keep it human. Reserve sensitive or emotional topics for real conversations, not AI.

3 steps to being a better mentor using AI

As AI takes on more technical and repetitive tasks, the skills that make us uniquely human will only grow in importance. Dr. Butler notes that what teams value most are the things machines can’t authentically replicate: mentorship, empathy, collaboration, and conflict resolution. As she puts it, “Empathy and kindness aren’t just soft skills; they’re survival skills for the future of work.”

“ Empathy and kindness aren’t just soft skills; they’re survival skills for the future of work.”

To be a better mentor, the key is using AI while doubling down on the human side of leadership. Dr. Gabby Burlacu, senior research manager at The Upwork Research Institute, offers these practical steps:

1. Audit your time. Review where your energy goes. If hours disappear into reports or dashboards, pick one or two recurring tasks that AI can automate or accelerate.
   
2. Reinvest in growth. Use the time you save for structured mentorship. Block regular one-on-ones focused on development — not just status updates. Keep up to speed with AI-generated summaries so you can focus fully on the individual.
   
3. Lead with curiosity and empathy. In those conversations, ask thoughtful questions: What are they learning? Where do they feel stuck? What skills do they want to build this quarter? Then follow up. AI can remind you to check in, but only you can build trust through consistency and care.

AI is most valuable when it creates space for human connection. So, offload busywork and reinvest that time spent mentoring individuals while keeping clear guardrails against overreliance. As Dr. Burlacu reminds us, “Even the best AI tools can’t replace the human relationships at the heart of mentoring.”

Want to dive deeper? Listen to the full conversation on Work Week.

‍Upwork is not affiliated with and does not sponsor or endorse any of the tools or services discussed in this article. These tools and services are provided only as potential options, and each reader and company should take the time needed to adequately analyze and determine the tools or services that would best fit their specific needs and situation.