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Gmail’s new generative AI feature promises to bring every office worker’s nightmares to life.

So, is this a nightmare or a productivity life raft?

“There will certainly be many unintended consequences of generative AI.

Closeup on someone working at a laptop, answering email on their smartphone.

I going to make a greatest artwork as I can, by my head, my hand and by my mind. / Getty Images

“Although, ironically enough, generative AI could help deal with thisto some extent.

Summarization is a key feature.

So it may become more common to do this with incoming emails.”

A screenshot showing how AI in Gmail can generate the text of an email.

And it’s not just text, either.

The potential is huge.

But as we have seen, AI isn’t all that when itcomes to accuracy and truth.

Someone handling tons of email from their smartphone.

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A conscientious person would have to thoroughly read, vet, and edit the AI-generated text for errors.

Which is to say, editing an AI’s homework might end up being more work.

And then we get to email, the point of this article.

Here’s how easy it is to generate a few paragraphs of full buzzword-compliant corporate-ese.

The original prompt, “I’m on it,” would have been far superior.

There’s a twist, though.

One of the AI’s features is to summarize an email thread.

you’ve got the option to probably see where this is going.

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There are other downsides.

Like any tool, this can be used for both good and evil.

“Generative AI makes it easier for hackers to create phishing emails.

This is especially for those who do not write English particularly well,” says Taulli.

What if the AI plagiarizes an existing text and passes it off as official company business?

Or if it generates a report, including recommendations that turn out to be false and even dangerous?

We don’t know, but we definitely won’t be asking an AI for the answer.