Office workers find that they are being flooded by AI generated workslop that's paradoxically making them less productive.
Companies Are Being Torn Apart by AI "Workslop," Stanford Research Finds
Not only is AI hampering productivity, but it's also blowing up collaboration and souring employee dynamics.
Why office workers are turning against AI
Whether or not you like AI at work ultimately boils down to a question of power.
AI-Generated “Workslop” Is Destroying Productivity
Despite a surge in generative AI use across workplaces, most companies are seeing little measurable ROI. One possible reason is because AI tools are being used to produce “workslop”—content that appears polished but lacks real substance, offloading cognitive labor onto coworkers. Research from BetterUp Labs and Stanford found that 41% of workers have encountered such AI-generated output, costing nearly two hours of rework per instance and creating downstream productivity, trust, and collaboration issues. Leaders need to consider how they may be encouraging indiscriminate organizational mandates and offering too little guidance on quality standards. To counteract workslop, leaders should model purposeful AI use, establish clear norms, and encourage a “pilot mindset” that combines high agency with optimism—promoting AI as a collaborative tool, not a shortcut.
AI Is Forcing Employees to Work Harder Than Ever
Another new study adds to the understanding that AI is actually making work more demanding for employees instead of making it easier.
There’s a Mass Rebellion Against AI in the Workplace
Only nine percent of office workers trust their company's AI tools with "business-critical" tasks, a new survey found.
‘Deskilling’: a dangerous side effect of AI use
Workers are increasingly reliant on the new technology
AI tools are 'deskilling' workers, philosophy professor says
A philosophy professor warns that AI reliance is weakening workers' judgment, creativity, and problem-solving.
For the love of God, stop calling your AI a co-worker | TechCrunch
A growing number of startups are anthropomorphizing AI to build trust fast -- and soften its threat to human jobs.
Researchers Studied What Happens When Workplaces Seriously Embrace AI, and the Results May Make You Nervous
Introducing AI in the workplace can create a vicious cycle that leaves employees overburdened and burned out.
Cory Doctorow: The people who tell you ‘AI is changing everything’ are lying
It has become impossible to tell managers mesmerised by artificial intelligence that the tools are not, in fact, helpful. So employees just play along with the fiction to keep their jobs, writes our tech columnist
AI Doesn’t Reduce Work—It Intensifies It
Aruna Ranganathan and Xingqi Maggie Ye from Berkeley Haas School of Business report initial findings in the HBR from their April to December 2025 study of 200 employees at a …
Appearing Productive in The Workplace — No One's Happy
AI can produce work that looks expert without being expert. The failure arrives in two shapes, and both are reshaping the workplace.
Appearing Productive in The Workplace — No One's Happy
AI can produce work that looks expert without being expert. The failure arrives in two shapes, and both are reshaping the workplace.
Why are workers so worried about AI? Listen to how business leaders talk about it
Concerns about AI pushing humans out of jobs may be a bit overstated, but the anxiety being felt by workers related to technology is real and nuanced.
Companies That Tried to Save Money With AI Are Now Spending a Fortune Hiring People to Fix Its Mistakes
Companies that rushed to replace human labor with AI are now shelling out to have IRL workers to fix the technology's screwups.
