- Workers using AI are finding that they need to spend time improving its output, new research finds
- Almost half say they have needed to make substantial corrections to AI-produced material
- Over a third believe checking the AI’s work takes longer than doing the task themselves
Is AI taking up more time than it should? That seems to be general view of users of workplace AI, according to new research that explores how AI impacts productivity. The answer? Not very well.
The Use.AI study surveyed over 8,000 adults who use AI in the workplace, and found that while it made it easier to produce work, it also requires substantial revision. Some respondents found that AI can produce documents and material they wouldn’t have created themselves, but almost 48% have found that the technology creates more problems.
Although the research indicates a “fire and forget” approach to AI-generated material, people who take the time to check the work find problems, and revisions take time to complete.
Editing AI
The survey of 8,316 adults using AI in the UK and European Union, as well as the US, Canada, Australia, and Latin America by Use.AI revealed both positives and negatives around how AI is used in the workplace.
For example, 62% were enthused by how much easier it made creating documents, memos, and even code. But what happens next in the process is where the problems are found. A worrying 34% of respondents were forwarding AI-produced (or assisted) work without checking the contents. This can lead to issues when the AI has produced something unsuitable or unreadable.
A worrying 48% answered that they had received AI-assisted work that required correction, and 43% stated they had been forced to redo unsuitable AI work. Sadly, this meant that additional time was required, with 39% saying checking the AI’s effort took longer than creating their own version from scratch, and 41% highlighting how much more reviewing and verifying AI produced material was required since AI was brought into the productivity process.
Is AI really a productivity boost?
The findings raise an interesting question. Big money has been spent on AI tools and implementing policies and procedures, replacing personnel, and employing “AI-ready” marketing tactics over the past few years.
But the research suggests that rather than being an advantage, for many businesses, AI can be a problem. More oversight is required to ensure the AI is fulfulling tasks accurately. This means more time is being spent resolving errors, quality issues, and more. The productivity advantages that AI should provide are being negated by its production of sub-par material.
And for all of the trumpeting about AI in the workplace, there is one statistic that stands out: 58% of respondents state that there are no rules for checking AI-assisted work. This may account for the growing problem that we see around us day-to-day – obviously AI-produced slop, issued via a single prompt and distrubed without any form of review. Use.AI’s research can be read online.