Does Your Boss Know You’re Using AI?

Many employees now use AI to do much of their work for them, especially in clerical roles. It is just so easy to get ChatGPT to write an email to a snotty customer or create a report. 

But, of course, many bosses expect employees to do work themselves. They don’t like the idea that they are hiring them by the hour, just to use a machine that does everything for free (and sometimes inaccurately). 

That said, the rise of AI in the workplace has been tremendous. ChatGPT is just one among many that includes Grok, Microsoft’s Copilot, Google’s Gemini, and many others. What’s more, many of these tools embed themselves into existing apps, like Google Chrome or Word, making it even more tempting to use them. 

Grammarly, for instance, now works alongside Google Docs, providing real-time feedback on everything from word choice to sentence structure. You can also get the tool to write something for you if you’re struggling to express yourself in the way that you’d like, making the job of communication even easier. 

But, of course, many employees are worrying that their bosses know what they’re doing. And, the answer, of course, is that they usually do. Most understand AI themselves, or they are using systems that detect AI in colleagues’ work and making a note of it. How is AI content detected? Today’s software is becoming increasingly sophisticated and can tell when something has been written by machine, or “humanized” by a machine. 

Why Employees Are Secretly Using AI

Employees are secretly using AI for all sorts of reasons. The main benefit of these new systems is to automate repetitive tasks. Many employees can pass large chunks of their responsibilities over these systems and get them to do pretty much whatever they want. 

For example, AIs are becoming adept at controlling cursors on computer screens and can perform specific tasks, based on prompts you provide. For example, if you need to do a lot of copying and pasting, you can get AI to do that for you reliably and repeatedly. 

However, some staff are using AI to gain a competitive edge over their peers. Many companies are using these systems to meet tight deadlines or simply produce content that sounds better than everyone else’s. 

Lastly, a lot of less competent employees are using ChatGPT as a kind of crutch. They’re using it to generate high-quality output (and learn) so they can keep their jobs. Nowhere did this become more apparent than when ChatGPT went down in June and suddenly, thousands of workers relying on it found that they were unable to complete basic tasks associated with their roles. 

Benefits Of AI In The Workplace

The benefits of AI in the workplace are, of course, considerable, which is why many bosses are turning a blind eye to it. AI can produce faster reports and generate better customer service than almost anything else on the market. 

Then, there’s the skill enhancement that AI offers. Artificially intelligent systems can actually train new employees in certain tasks and make them better when they finally decide to take the reins for themselves. 

All of this frees up employees to focus on the things that matter most in business. Staff can think more strategically about what to do next instead of constantly focusing on the next task on their long list of responsibilities. 

Risks Of Undisclosed AI Usage

Of course, if you are using AI and failing to disclose it to your boss, you will face some risks. For instance, using AI too much could lead to legal or ethical concerns. Many businesses and customers expect fully human-generated output, but that won’t be the case if you are using AI. 

Furthermore, these models require you to feed them prompts and information to get the output you want. If you are providing them with all this data, you could be setting yourself up for data security concerns. 

For example, suppose you have labeled customer data and you want ChatGPT to analyse it. Unfortunately, Open AI will collect all that information, potentially putting you at a higher risk of a breach. 

Lastly, using AI too much could stunt your skills development. You may find that after a few months of using it, you can no longer perform to the same high level without it. If AI systems are doing all the heavy lifting, it leaves less room for you to give your brain a workout and stay on the ball. 

Should You Tell Your Boss?

So, should you tell your boss if you’re using AI? 

On the one hand, letting them know what you’re doing can build trust. If you tell them ahead of time that you’re using AI, then they won’t feel like you’re hiding something from them. If they are using AI detectors, it will also put them at ease. 

It’s also okay to use AI if it aligns with your firm’s ethical practices. It may be okay in your industry to rely on machine outputs, as long as the risks are low and customers expect it. 

The downside, of course, is that your boss may not know you are using AI, be against it, and then place limits on what you can do with it. If they do this, then it could mean that you have to go back to using repetitive tasks. 

You could also face misunderstanding from non-tech-savvy leaders in your company who may not understand what you’re doing. The worst-case scenario is when they think that AI can do your job for you and replace you, or when they reprimand you 

The best way to get around this is to ask your employer for clarification on how you should use AI. Once they write down the rules, you know exactly where you stand and what’s allowed. You can also find gaps in their regulations where you can insert AI to make your life easier, even if you can’t use it to the full extent that you’d like. 

Ultimately, your boss probably does know about your AI use, but is choosing to ignore it for now.

Does Your Boss Know You’re Using AI?