Study: 40% of Workers Face 'Workslop' - AI-Generated Time Wasters
A recent study has revealed that 40% of desk workers have encountered 'workslop' in the past month, a term coined by Harvard Business Review researchers to describe low-quality AI-generated content that wastes employees' time. Workers are spending an average of 1 hour and 56 minutes dealing with each instance of workslop. The term 'workslop' was first coined by finance analyst Mike Kosthorst. It refers to AI-generated content that appears polished but lacks substance, creating more work for coworkers. Researchers found that receiving workslop can cause emotional and social toll on workers, with 53% feeling annoyed and 38% confused. Artificial intelligence use in workplaces has increased, with companies integrating it into systems and encouraging its use to boost productivity. However, blanket mandates to use AI all the time can lead to workers mindlessly using AI responses without proper context, resulting in workslop. Workers who send workslop are often viewed as less capable and reliable by their colleagues. The estimated cost of workslop incidents is high, with an average of $186 per month for an organization. This can potentially add up to over $9 million a year. Researchers suggest setting guardrails for AI use and developing best practices to avoid workslop. Despite companies mandating AI use, few employees are seeing real value from it, with 95% of organizations seeing no measurable return on investment. The rise of AI in the workplace has brought about new challenges, one of which is workslop. To mitigate its impact, organizations should implement guidelines for AI use, foster a culture of mindful AI interaction, and encourage employees to seek value from AI tools rather than relying on mandates alone.
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