Bosses, Stop Using AI And Do Your Job

In this episode of ICYMI, host Kate Lindsay interviews Laura Helmuth, writer behind Slate's Good Job Advice column, to discuss the growing trend of managers overusing AI in the workplace. The conversation centers on how bosses are increasingly relying on generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Copilot to draft communications, set goals, and even conduct performance reviews—often at the expense of meaningful human interaction. Employees report feeling overwhelmed by verbose, inconsistent, and generic AI-generated messages, while managers appear to be abdicating their core responsibilities. Helmuth and Lindsay argue that this shift isn't productivity enhancement but a symptom of managerial burnout, poor training, and corporate FOMO around technological hype. They highlight how AI undermines the development of essential leadership skills, dehumanizes work, and ultimately increases employee workload. The episode concludes with practical advice: employees should self-manage, prioritize their own goals, and challenge AI-driven processes—especially in performance evaluations—by involving HR. The hosts stress that true innovation comes from human judgment, not algorithmic shortcuts.