‘Just looping you in’: why letting AI write our emails might actually create more work
‘Just looping you in’: why letting AI write our emails might actually create more work
Publish Date: 2026-04-30 16:11:00
Source Domain: theconversation.com
Here is a summary of the article using an unordered list with key points:
* The evolution of email since its introduction in 1971 transformed it from a tool for efficiency to an overwhelming aspect of office life, challenging its original promise.
* Generative AI technologies like ChatGPT are now offering to assist with email management by handling repetitive tasks. This could reshape how we interact with our inboxes.
* A large portion of Australians use generative AI, most commonly for text generation, which likely includes email management.
* The article draws parallels to the non-demise of paper in offices despite the rise of digital technology. Much like paper, email persists because it serves useful functions, such as maintaining workplace relationships and signalling competence.
* AI might end up intensifying communication tasks rather than eliminating them. Instead of reducing the burden of email, AI may adjust its tone or expand brief messages, but doesn’t lessen the underlying performance required in email interaction.
* There are concerns about privacy with AI tools that manage inboxes fully, leading to questions about the authenticity and human authorship of emails.
* Email is deeply woven into workplace culture for reasons beyond simple communication, serving as a means to navigate hierarchy and convey unspoken social cues.
* The future might see less performative communication if people start questioning the necessity of routine email rituals. AI could potentially highlight how much of email activity is ritualistic or habitual, leading to clearer expectations and boundaries in professional communication.
* The hope is that as AI continues to evolve, it will make apparent the extent to which our current email practices are ritualistic, allowing for a shift towards more meaningful and necessary communication.
