Artificial Intelligence1 min read

Tired of spending time fixing other people's AI slop at work? How to talk to them about it

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Recent workforce data demonstrates that the hours gained by utilizing generative software are frequently eroded by the necessity of verifying, correcting, and rewriting substandard output. Experts advise team members to ground feedback in concrete errors such as vague wording or data mistakes to prevent defensiveness. When approaching senior leaders, employees can diplomatically admit their own tool usage to prove that the resulting editing workload is the primary issue. Setting expectations to review materials or flag automated content before sharing can protect overall productivity.

Key points

  • Conversations about low-quality drafts should center on safeguarding team reputation rath…: Conversations about low-quality drafts should center on safeguarding team reputation rather than accusing peers of using automation.
  • Pointing out specific problems like incorrect data and formatting issues keeps discussion…: Pointing out specific problems like incorrect data and formatting issues keeps discussions productive and objective.
  • Employees should outline the cleanup time needed and request that colleagues review or di…: Employees should outline the cleanup time needed and request that colleagues review or disclose automated materials before submission.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

You open slides you got from a teammate for a joint project presentation you're giving. Within minutes you suspect that it's largely AI-generated. The stats are incorrect and the writing is littered with generic phrases that sound plausible at a glance but, upon inspection, say nothing of substance.

AI was supposed to make work faster and easier, and sometimes it does. Eighty-five percent of surveyed workers, all of whom were active AI users, said the technology saved them between one and seven hours per week, according to a Workday study of 3,200 full-time employees published in January.

But as the author of "Managing Up" and an executive coach to high performers at companies like Google, Amazon and JPMorgan, I've seen a new problem emerge. You may regularly find yourself on the receiving end of what looks like finished work that still needs hours of editing. The Workday survey found that nearly 40% of the time "saved" from using AI was then lost to "rework" like verifying, correcting and rewriting.

Calling that extra work out to your colleagues and bosses can…

Artificial Intelligence