Impact of artificial intelligence on accuracy and agency

Discussions regarding the rise of artificial intelligence have expanded from concerns over factual accuracy and communication quality to the broader erosion of human agency in the workforce.

Initial concerns focused on the risks AI poses to accuracy and human expression. Specific instances, such as a book by Steven Rosenbaum containing false or incorrectly attributed citations, highlighted the potential for AI-generated content to introduce errors. Additionally, there are concerns that the “repetitive, declarative, and insipid tone” of AI text may dilute the quality of human communication across social media, customer service, and press releases.

More recent observations suggest a shift toward “decision poverty,” where automated systems erode human judgment and agency. Rather than simple job displacement, the transformation involves employees being relegated to verifying or processing system-generated outputs. This shift moves decision-making upstream to algorithms, potentially leading to a loss of operational competence. Global data indicates the scale of this trend, with the International Labour Organisation reporting that one in four workers worldwide is in an occupation exposed to generative AI, and the IMF estimating that approximately 26% of employment in India falls into high-exposure categories.