The Workers Secretly Using ChatGPT

Some employers are either tacitly or outright banning access to generative AI tools like ChatGPT. But employees who love them are finding ways to discreetly backchannel. Plus, the benefits Gen X workers want.

The employees clandestinely using AI at work

Once OpenAI launched ChatGPT in November 2022, companies have scrambled to keep its workplace use under control.

Many organisations are concerned their data will be leaked – not only unintentionally training OpenAI algorithms with?sensitive information,?but also potentially surfacing corporate secrets to competitors' prompts, says?Simon Johnson, head of the global economics and management group at MIT Sloan School of Management, in Massachusetts, US.

Yet many workers love the technology, and have come to desire, even depend on it.

"These are practical tools that make life easier, such as content aggregation – rather than look through several sources to find an obscure organisational policy, ChatGPT can provide a useful first draft in moments," says Bryan Hancock, partner at McKinsey & Co, based in Washington, DC. "They can also aid with technical tasks, like coding, and complete routine tasks that lighten employees' cognitive load and schedules."?

Berlin-based business consultant Matt and his colleague were among the first at their workplace to discover ChatGPT, mere weeks after its release. He says the chatbot transformed their workdays overnight. "It was like discovering a video game cheat," says Matt. "I asked a really technical question from my PhD thesis, and it provided an answer that no one would be able to find without consulting people with very specific expertise. I knew it would be a game changer."

Day-to-day tasks in his fast-paced environment – such as researching scientific topics, gathering sources and producing thorough presentations to clients – suddenly became a breeze. The only catch: Matt and his colleague had to keep their use of?ChatGPT ?a closely guarded secret. They accessed the tool covertly, mostly on working-from-home days.?

"We had a significant competitive advantage against our colleagues – our output was so much faster and they couldn't comprehend how. Our manager was very impressed and spoke about our performance with senior management," he says.

Whether the technology is explicitly banned, highly frowned upon or giving some workers a covert leg up, some employees are searching for ways to keep using generative AI tools discreetly. The technology is increasingly becoming an employee backchannel: in a February 2023 study by professional social network Fishbowl, 68% of 5,067 respondents who used AI at work said?they don't disclose usage to their bosses.

Even in instances without workplace bans, employees may still want to keep their use of AI hidden, or at least guarded, from peers. "We don't have norms established around AI yet – it can initially look like you're conceding you're not actually that good at your job if the machine is doing many of your tasks," says Johnson. "It's natural that people would want to conceal that."

As a result, forums are popping up for workers to swap strategies for keeping a low profile. In communities like Reddit, many people seek methods of secretly circumventing workplace bans, either through high-tech solutions (integrating ChatGPT into a native app disguised as a workplace tool) or rudimentary ones to obscure usage (adding a privacy screen, or discreetly accessing the technology on their?personal phone?at their desk).

And an increasing number of workers who've come to depend on AI may have to start looking for ways to avoid attention. According to an August 2023 BlackBerry survey of 2,000 global IT decision makers,?75% are currently considering or implementing bans on ChatGPT?and other generative AI applications in the workplace, with 61% saying the measures are intended to be long-term or permanent.

While these bans may help companies keep sensitive information out of the wrong hands, Hancock says keeping generative AI away from workers, particularly on a longer-term basis, can backfire. "AI tools are set to become part of the employee experience, so restricting access to them without providing a vision of when and how they'll be adopted – such as following the introduction of guardrails – could create frustration," he says. "And that could lead to folks thinking of working somewhere with access to the tools they need."?

As for Matt, he's found a workaround to keep a step ahead. He and his colleague have begun covertly using the search engine platform Perplexity. Like ChatGPT, it's a generative AI tool that returns complex written answers to basic prompts in an instant. Matt likes Perplexity even more than ChatGPT: it features real-time information and cites sources that can be quickly checked, ideal when his presentations require in-depth, up-to-date knowledge.?He queries it hundreds of times a day on his work laptop, often working remotely, and uses it more than Google.

He hopes he can keep using his latest AI tool in secret, for as long as possible. For him, it's worth the minor inconvenience of occasionally having to dim his laptop screen in the office – and not sharing resources with his wider team. "I prefer keeping the competitive advantage," he says.

→ Read more from Alex Christian

The new perks for Gen X workers

Gen X are at a crossroads in their personal lives. Wedged between Baby Boomers and millennials, this generation is in the 'sandwich' phase of life . They're largely responsible for caring for their aging parents while providing for their school-aged children, all while managing their own lives, careers and health.?

If organisations are eager to hold onto their Gen X workers, roughly defined as those born between 1965 to 1980, they need to respond to these challenges.

That's why an increasing number of companies across the globe are rolling out benefits that address specific mid-life health and lifestyle concerns. And in a tight labour market , employers who offer customised perks stand out by signalling a level of support that's increasingly sought after in today's workplace.?

Cloud-software company Salesforce recently launched an eldercare benefit for employees supporting older family members as well as cancer-related programming for early detection targeted to the 50-plus demographic. Software company Adobe offers services to help employees manage the university-admissions process for their kids as well as access to backup elder care and in-home care consultations. Menopause support is also emerging at many global companies, both big and small.?

"The benefits of providing these services go beyond economics," says Peter Bamberger, a professor at the Coller School of Management at Tel Aviv University, and the president elect of the Academy of Management. "We're talking about services that potentially impact one's children and one's parents. Organisations are not only providing financial assistance, they're building a strong emotional connection – they're showing that they care."

Employers aren't offering these new benefits out of pure altruism, however. The programs are relatively cost-effective, and research suggests that benefits tailored to employees' needs can have an impact on retention and performance. A survey by Gartner conducted last year, seen by the BBC, showed a thoughtful benefits strategy can boost employees' intent to stick around by 11%, and raise their output by 12%.

"Employers are aware that having to find your elderly parents a specialist or the right facility to live in is a time consuming and emotional chore," says Bamberger. "Employers know that it takes time out of your workday and if they can help with it, you're going to be more present and focused at work."

→ Read more from Rebecca M. Knight

Plus: A growing number of workers are making the decision to walk out of companies whose environmental values don't align with their own.

• READ: The 'climate quitters' ditching corporate roles

Thanks for reading. See you next week.

– Meredith Turits, Editor, BBC Worklife