Study finds that without staff training and guidance, AI slows productivity

A recent study of 5,000 US white-collar workers concerning the impact of generative AI on productivity has revealed a significant disconnect between their views and those of high-level executives. While 92% of executives believe AI makes them more productive, 40% of non-managers report that it saves them no time. 

One reason for the disconnect is attributed to the rise of AI-generated work, which appears polished but often contains flaws that require extensive human correction. Otherwise known as AI workslop. 

A subset of 1,150 US desk workers found that 40% encountered AI workslop on a monthly basis, requiring an average of 3.4 hours correcting it. This inefficiency is estimated to cost a 10,000-person organisation approximately $8.1 million in lost productivity. Despite these challenges, companies are continuing to push for AI integration in order to reduce headcount costs following massive enterprise investments.

However, financial returns remain elusive. Researchers attribute the rise of AI workslop to a lack of clear mandates, guidance, or training for employees. Without proper support, workers often find that the pressure to use AI as a general-purpose tool merely makes their jobs more difficult rather than improving efficiency.

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