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Generative AI promises to save us time, automate processes, and increase productivity. However, behind this rush to automation lies an unexpected side effect: Workslop.
The term, coined by recent studies reported in the specialized press (a study published in Harvard Business Review with contributions from the Stanford Social Media Lab and the BetterUp platform), describes the phenomenon of sloppy and inefficient work generated by the improper use of artificial intelligence.
As Corriere della Sera explains (October 19, 2025), Workslop is "that type of activity that seems to save us time but, in reality, consumes more of it," a side effect that many companies had not foreseen.
What is Workslop
The term comes from the fusion of "work" and "slop", an English word that indicates something imprecise or sloppy.
According to the definition emerging from the aforementioned study and reported by Corriere della Sera, Workslop represents anything that is produced or initiated using AI tools but that, instead of simplifying work, creates an additional level of confusion, revision, and waste of human time.
In other words: an automatically generated report, an email written by a chatbot, or a presentation built by an AI assistant may appear professional, but if they lack accuracy, context, or relevance, they end up increasing the workload.
Why it happens
The study published in Harvard Business Review (and reported by the trade press in 2025) analyzed how companies are integrating artificial intelligence into operational workflows.
The research shows that:
- 41% of the workers interviewed have received AI-generated content at least once that required additional time to correct — an average of almost two hours of extra work for each case;
- For an organization of 10,000 employees, the time wasted due to Workslop can cost up to about $9 million a year;
- 54% of workers consider those who send clearly AI-generated content "less creative," 42% perceive it as "less trustworthy," and 37% as "less intelligent."
Essentially, Workslop arises when artificial intelligence is used without a specific purpose or adequate human oversight. Generative tools produce formally correct results, but often lack substance or context, forcing people to redo or revise the work from scratch.
Organizational and Cultural Effects
Workslop is not just a technical problem, but a problem of trust and corporate culture.
As Corriere points out, those who receive poor quality AI-produced content tend to trust their colleagues less and perceive them as less competent. This can compromise internal collaboration and lower the average quality of work.
Furthermore, many organizations have adopted artificial intelligence without actually measuring the results: some reports indicate that a large portion of companies have not yet seen a measurable return.from investments in AI.
How to Avoid Workslop
To counteract the phenomenon, experts and the study's authors suggest a series of practical strategies:
- Establish clear guidelines on the use of AI — defining when and how it is appropriate to use it, and when human intervention is required.
- Train people — so they can distinguish between tasks that AI can perform autonomously and those that require creativity, judgment, or sensitivity.
- Promote transparency — report when content has been generated (even partially) by AI, to avoid misunderstandings or false expectations.
- Maintain high quality standards — AI must be an ally, not a shortcut. The goal remains to produce value, not fill it with irrelevant text or data.
- Monitor the real impact of AI — measure whether adoption truly brings benefits in terms of productivity and quality, instead of relying solely on perceptions.
Final reflection
The Workslop is the alarm bell of an era in which productivity risks turning into "hyper-production of useless content."
As Corriere della Sera observes, "the speed of artificial intelligence can be deceiving: it makes us feel more efficient when we are only creating more information noise."
AI, therefore, does not replace human intelligence: it amplifies it only when it is guided by judgment, critical thinking, and responsibility.
Companies that integrate technology with a mindful work culture will truly gain a competitive advantage—preventing automation from turning into a workslop.
Sources
- Corriere della Sera—"What is Workslop, the side effect of artificial intelligence that no one had foreseen? expected”, 19 October 2025.
- Harvard Business Review — study conducted with contributions from the Stanford Social Media Lab and BetterUp (study on the “workslop” phenomenon, 2025).
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