Your AI is emailing my AI—and nobody’s in charge
Not long ago, a colleague of mine received a courteous and professionally worded email. It informed him about the current state of a shared project and listed the next steps required and who was accountable for each. A perfectly ordinary email—except it was, from start to finish, the work of an AI agent that had been set up to act on behalf of the person it represented. My colleague’s experience…
In today's interconnected world, an artificial intelligence (AI) agent recently sent a well-composed email on behalf of a colleague, outlining the status of a shared project and outlining next steps. This scenario, though still uncommon, serves as a warning of the future. In May, Bloomberg reported on Tyler Cadwell, an entrepreneur who built an AI agent he refers to as his "first AI employee," capable of tasks such as managing his email inbox and responding to supply chain issues.
Surprisingly, people are increasingly relying on AI assistance to craft their emails. According to Gallup, over half of U.S. employees now use AI at work, with the most common use being writing and editing or communicating with each other. A colleague's received email from an AI agent was even forwarded to his chatbot for a draft reply.
The rise of AI-written communication raises critical questions about governance and ownership. While there is no going back regarding AI-written emails, leaders must recognize that delegating conversation to AI does not equate to a free-for-all. So, how should organizations approach this challenge?
First, organizations need to identify what conversations must never be delegated. Certain activities, like performance reviews, depend on human engagement for their value. AI-assisted work (AI polishes your work) and AI-delegated work (AI drafts, you skim and send) sit on different ends of a delegation spectrum. However, drifts along this spectrum can lead to a loss of human oversight. Companies must make delegation explicit and visible to maintain accountability.
Second, organizations should be deliberate in delegating tasks. When delegating, it is crucial to establish a clear mandate or decision-making process. This ensures that the organization understands what it has given up and how to manage the AI-generated output. Having a dedicated owner for AI-delegated work can help maintain oversight and ensure consistent output.
By following these three pillars—deciding what must never be delegated, being deliberate in delegation, and providing clear mandates and owners—organizations can effectively navigate the AI revolution in communication.
Written by urgent.news from Fast Company's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
