AI "Workslop'"

By George Waggott, founder, and Roberto Fonseca-Velazquez, law student ,

George Waggott Law

The rise of AI-generated “workslop” is becoming a serious issue in workplaces, according to a recent article from Forbes. “Workslop” refers to AI-created content, like reports, meeting notes, or proposals, that appears polished but lacks substance or accuracy. While it may look professional at first glance, workslop often wastes time and damages trust. About 40 per cent of desk workers say that they have encountered workslop in the past month, and each incident takes an average of two hours to fix. Forbes reports that this costs companies approximately $186 per employee per month, or $9 million annually for a 10,000-person organization.

Beyond the financial costs, workslop harms workplace relationships. Colleagues who receive it often view the sender as less capable, trustworthy, or intelligent. In a professional environment where reputation is key to career advancement, sending flawed AI output can be a serious liability. Indeed, the perceived efficiencies associated with AI tools may be lost if workslop problems are not properly addressed.

Workslop typically includes generic PowerPoint slides, vague meeting summaries, or reports that sound good but offer no actionable insights. Companies are increasingly investing heavily in AI tools to boost productivity, but many see no measurable return. A report from MIT Media Lab found that 95 per cent of organizations are not benefiting from their AI investments. This is partly because AI-generated content and the current functionality of AI tools often shifts the burden of quality control downstream, negating any time saved.

The damage from workslop extends to workplace trust. Nearly half of employees say they view colleagues who send workslop as less creative and reliable. More than 40 per cent of employees claim they trust people who generate workslop less, and more than a third consider them less intelligent. Some even report these incidents to managers, creating a paper trail that could impact careers. About a third of workslop recipients say that they are less likely to collaborate with those who send workslop, which can hinder innovation and teamwork.

To combat workslop and related problems, management of organizations must take the lead. Companies should avoid blanket “AI everywhere” policies and instead focus on thoughtful implementation. Some recommendations for more responsible AI use include the following:

1. Investing in AI literacy: Employees need training to understand when AI is helpful and when it is not; how to review AI output; and what quality standards to uphold.

2. Creating guardrails: Organizations should require human review of AI content; establish internal style guides; and treat AI adoption as a strategic initiative.

3. Modeling good behavior: Leaders should demonstrate responsible AI use; disclose what work product was AI-generated; and prioritize quality over speed.

Employees also have a role to play. They should learn how to use AI effectively; edit AI drafts thoroughly; and push back against subpar content. AI should be a tool to enhance work, not a replacement critical thinking. By maintaining high standards and using AI responsibly, both organizations and individuals can avoid the pitfalls of workslop and truly benefit from the potential which AI tools can offer.

For more information about George Waggott Law, please see: www.georgewaggott.com, or contact: george@georgewaggott.com