AI is supposed to save time. A new study says nearly 40% of its value is lost to rework.

"After writing a blog post about work-life balance for her employer, Emilie Schario did what many people now do before publishing anything online: She pasted her draft into an AI tool in hopes of getting back a stronger post. Yet rather than take the revision it produced at face value, Schario said she spent close to half as much time reviewing the new version as she did writing the original - and for good reason."

"AI tools are helping workers complete all sorts of tasks faster than ever before, yet many are discovering a drawback. The output still requires careful review for errors and hallucinations, cutting into the time the technology is meant to save. New survey data provides a sense of just how much. Nearly 40% of AI's value is lost to rework and misalignment, and only 14% of employees consistently get clear, positive outcomes from the technology."

Many workers use AI tools for tasks such as summarizing notes and writing code. AI revisions often contain errors and hallucinations that require careful fact-checking and editing, which reduces net time savings. One worker experienced an AI revision that inserted a false personal detail about a nonexistent child and a school play, prompting substantial review. A Workday-backed survey of 1,600 leaders and 1,600 full-time employees at companies with annual revenues above $100 million found that nearly 40% of AI's value is lost to rework and misalignment, and only 14% of employees consistently get clear, positive outcomes. Training on prompt-writing and critical review can improve results over time.

Read at Business Insider