Professionalism and Trustworthiness in AI-Assisted Workplace Writing: The Benefits and Drawbacks of Writing With AI

Abstract

This study explores perceptions of managers who use AI-assisted writing for workplace communication tasks. Prior scholarship has established the professionalism of the text of AI-generated workplace writing, but perceptions of message senders who use AI have not previously been explored. To capture professionals’ perceptions of email authorship, a survey was conducted of 1,100 working professionals. In a two (directionality of communication) by four (levels of AI assistance) study, respondents were asked to evaluate the authorship of an AI-assisted message congratulating a team for meeting goals and setting new objectives. The results suggest that, despite positive impressions of professionalism in AI-assisted writing, managers who use AI for routine communication tasks put their trustworthiness at risk when using medium- to high-levels of AI assistance, as respondents in these conditions begin to question the authorship, confidence, caring, sincerity, and ability of senders. These results contribute to ongoing research into the effectiveness of AI-mediated interpersonal workplace communication by suggesting parameters for practical use and directions for future research.