Nothing is worse than making a mistake at work and then realising the mistake was actually made by artificial intelligence (AI).
AI is being used at work more than ever. A global study from the University of Melbourne and KPMG from 2025 found that 58% of employees regularly use AI at work, even though they reported mistakes. But the report also found that many people felt the benefits of AI at work outweighed the negative impacts.
The researchers concluded that “the responsible use and governance of AI is not keeping pace with adoption.”
Although AI can save time, there is a big disadvantage to using it when it creates inaccurate output or creates a heavier workload for someone else. It can also impact how colleagues view each other’s judgment, capability and reliability.
But as AI continues to grow and develop, it’s no longer a question of if people will be using it but instead how to properly use it. Forbes curated a list of AI etiquette to apply in the workplace to better exercise proper and beneficial use of AI.
Check your AI work and make sure it saves time for everyone
“Workslop,” or AI-generated content that looks professional but lacks actual depth, is one of the biggest issues caused by irresponsible AI usage. According to the study, two in three workers admitted that they rely on AI without checking what it provided. Half of the surveyors said they have made mistakes at work because of AI.
BetterUp Labs and Stanford Social Media Lab found that 40% of US corporate employees had received workslop from a colleague in the last month. The recipients of the workslop also said they saw the sender as less creative, capable and reliable.
AI is only useful if it’s benefiting you and your coworkers.
Be transparent about AI use
The University of Melbourne and KPMG study revealed that workers avoided sharing that they used AI to complete work. The researchers explained that this was a problem of transparency and accountability, making these traits increasingly important when discussing workplace etiquette surrounding AI.
It also becomes an issue when AI is being used and presented in situations where people are relying on your conclusions and thoughts.
Consider company policies surrounding AI
It is important to understand your company policies before using AI. Some companies require disclosure about what AI was used or restrict certain tools altogether. Follow those rules.
Also consider if AI has a big part in something you’re working on, would it change how someone evaluates or uses the results. This is especially important to think about if your company doesn’t yet have clear AI guidelines.
Keep personal communication human
Receiving emails or announcements that clearly are written by AI can cause employees to see the sender as less caring, competent and trustworthy.
Research from USC Marshall professor Peter Cardon and University of Florida researcher Anthony Coman shows that when 1,100 participants were asked to evaluate manager emails that used different amounts of AI, the ones that were clearly written by AI lessened the team's trust toward the manager.
But it also revealed that use of AI in small ways to alter or edit the email didn’t affect the receiver.
Don’t use AI to replace collaboration
Employees have been turning to AI for brainstorming, ideation and aid on projects instead of colleagues that understand the business and might have more curated insight.
The University of Melbourne and KPMG study found that half of the employees used AI instead of collaborating with coworkers or supervisors. One in five surveyors said that they noticed AI reduced their communication, peer interaction and collaboration at work.
According to Forbes, asking an experienced coworker for input can strengthen work relationships and also reveal different points of view.
AI can be beneficial to take some work off of your plate but it is still your reputation on the line when there is a mistake. It’s important to be mindful of how you use AI in your workplace. – Inc./Tribune News Service
