Don’t be fooled. The AI that was supposed to save us time is doing just the opposite | Gaby Hinsliff
A commentary piece argues that AI, far from saving time, is accelerating the production of low-quality, machine-generated content that clogs inboxes and communication channels. The author contends that governments promoting AI-driven efficiency are underestimating the collective cost this imposes on everyone who has to deal with the output.
Why this matters: The promise was simple: AI handles the grunt work, you get your time back. What is actually happening looks closer to the opposite. When generating content becomes nearly free, more of it gets made, and the burden of sorting through it shifts onto every recipient. This is not just a productivity complaint. If governments use AI to produce more communications, consultations, and documents, the people on the receiving end pay the real cost. Volume is not the same as value, and right now the gap between the two is growing fast.
Who should care: General readers · AI governance · Policy
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