Generative AI’s Productivity Myth

People may be using artificial intelligence, but that doesn’t mean it’s useful.

OpenAI released a report last month looking at how consumers are using ChatGPT, finding that nearly 80% turned to it for “practical guidance,” for “seeking information” or for “writing,” and that nearly 70% of their usage was not work-related.

The push to maximize productivity is at the heart of the current rush to adopt AI. It’s baked into every pitch, from Google’s personalized chatbot assistants promising that users can “get more done on the go,” to OpenAI promising that companies can “unlock productivity at scale,” and even the United States government gutting its workforce and speeding up its AI adoption under the guise of “efficiency.”