AI has enabled some employees to work less efficiently without their supervisors noticing. Noah Olsen, a software engineer, secretly utilized AI to complete half of his tasks without informing his boss for almost two years at a roofing company in Ohio. By using AI tools such as Cursor or Claude Code to automate his workload, Olsen was able to cut his weekly working hours in half, spending the remaining time browsing Reddit and watching YouTube.
The trend of employees leveraging AI to reduce their workload is becoming more prevalent as companies gradually adopt AI technologies. Workers who have mastered these tools face a dilemma of whether to disclose their methods or remain silent. According to Glenn Hopper, an AI consultant in Memphis, there is currently an advantage for employees proficient in AI compared to managers and colleagues who are not well-versed in the technology.
A survey conducted by KPMG and the University of Melbourne revealed that 57% of employees have used AI in undisclosed ways at work, such as completing tasks without acknowledgment or passing off AI-generated work as their own. The impact of AI on productivity can be significant for certain roles, as stated by Matt Martin, CEO of Clockwise, which utilizes AI for calendar optimization.
Despite the efficiency gains achieved through AI, it is crucial for users to ensure the accuracy and quality of the outcomes due to the potential errors associated with AI technology. As Andrew Sobko, CEO of Argentum AI, pointed out, users need to invest time and effort in verifying the results produced by AI systems.
While the widespread adoption of AI among workers is expected to increase productivity levels in the future, there is still a considerable number of companies in the early stages of experimenting with AI deployment. Employers are encouraged to embrace transparency around AI efficiencies and view it as a positive development by Dan Kaplan from ZRG consulting firm.
For Noah Olsen, his use of AI went unnoticed until his employer hired an AI specialist who introduced similar shortcuts to the team. Upon being assigned more work to compensate for his previous slack time, Olsen eventually resigned from his position and now undertakes freelance software engineering projects for a European employer who is unaware of his reliance on AI for productivity.
As Olsen reflects on the transient nature of relying on AI for work efficiency, he acknowledges that while current opportunities exist for leveraging AI tools effectively, there may come a time when this advantage diminishes as more companies integrate advanced technologies into their operations.