AI promises productivity, but workers drown in ‘workslop’

Executives tout AI as a productivity booster, but frontline workers report a surge of “workslop”—polished AI drafts that must be heavily edited, lowering quality and morale. A Stanford study finds 40% of workers encounter workslop within a month and spend about 3.4 hours monthly on it, translating to roughly $8.1 million in lost productivity per 10,000 employees. Despite billions invested, major studies show most firms haven’t realized ROI from AI yet, with only a minority seeing meaningful returns over two to four years. The mismatch stems from unclear mandates, insufficient training, and shifting power dynamics, prompting unions to demand more worker input and control over AI use.