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Workers are spending over 6 hours a week botsitting AI, fueling job frustration

businessinsider.com

June 11, 2026

3 min read

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Summary

White-collar workers spend an average of 6.4 hours per week "botsitting" AI, which includes providing context, verifying outputs, debugging errors, and correcting mistakes. A report from Glean's Work AI Institute, based on a survey of 6,000 full-time workers in the US, UK, and Australia, highlights this hidden labor associated with AI usage.

Key Takeaways

White-collar workers spend an average of 6.4 hours per week "botsitting" AI, which involves feeding it context, checking outputs, and debugging errors.
Despite 87% of workers using AI and 75% feeling more productive, only 13% report significant improvements in organizational performance due to AI.
Employees who spend more time botsitting are 73% more likely to be actively seeking new jobs, indicating a negative impact on morale.
Effective AI implementation requires organizations to focus on the supportive work around AI, such as providing context and training, rather than solely increasing AI usage.

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Community Sentiment

Negative

Positives

Setting good guardrails and using sandbox environments significantly improves the efficiency of working with AI, allowing for smoother project management and reducing tedious interactions.
Exploring the outputs of AI models can be an engaging experience, akin to hacking, which adds an element of creativity to the work.
When AI performs well, it can enhance productivity and provide a sense of relief, indicating the potential for effective collaboration between humans and AI.

Concerns

Workers are increasingly being asked to automate enjoyable parts of their jobs, leading to feelings of deflation and decreased job satisfaction, which can negate productivity gains.
The shift in roles where humans are now babysitting AI rather than being the primary creators can lead to social alienation and a lack of pride in one's work.
Many employees feel that AI is taking over their responsibilities, transforming them into assistants rather than allowing them to leverage AI as a tool for enhancement.