Are we working smarter?

Jamie Pierce · 2025-04-16T17:10:35+00:00

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If “smarter” just means faster and more frictionless, then sure—the answer is undoubtedly yes. But for most people, their AI journey begins and ends with queries like “Summarize this thread” or “Draft an email for X."

But in my experience, the real power of AI isn’t speeding up the mundane—it’s expanding our ability to think outside the box, spot trends, problem-solve, and lean into creativity like never before.

That’s not to say speeding up the mundane isn’t valuable. The time it frees up is often what creates the space for deeper creativity in the first place. But is calling this “working smarter” really the right move?

I'm still figuring out what this new way of work looks like though— WDYT?

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Comments

karenwen

Love this question!

Working smarter isn't just about doing more with less, it's about doing better. AI gives us the tools, but it's up to us to ask the right questions, make meaningful decisions, and foster positive relationships. In my case, AI helps me handle repetitive tasks and draft content. I'm using my human skills where they really count—on customer conversations that require real-time problem-solving and empathy. We need to be intentional with the free space we're awarded when using AI - that's working smarter!

DAbney

I think it's certainly more than just "working smarter"… I think we're "maximizing intelligent efficiency": using AI to work more efficiently, extract greater value from our day, and accelerate the achievement of significant business outcomes. Sadly, that doesn't roll of the tongue as well as "working smarter" … might need some marketing help 😀

peterkimglean

IMO, working smarter means spending less effort while doing more. At its core, that's AI's primary purpose. It will take more up-front effort to set up systems to enable that, but that's the trade-off!

mknz

IMO, the true value & impact of AI really lies behind our ability to use it. Like any other tool, our skill level in putting it to use determines how smarter/better/efficient it's making us.

It's fascinating to think about the human power behind its effectiveness. It's completely up to us to determine what else we can accomplish with this incredible tool at our fingertips! Not just in what we can make it do, but also in what we achieve with our own, newly available time/resources.

anna_chibukhchyan30

I think all of the comments in this thread touch on this question brilliantly. To Jamie and Karen's points, the most obvious use of AI and Glean specifically is to eradicate the mundane tasks that take up so much of our time, that could be spent on what really requires the human touch and connection. When you go beyond that use case and employ AI to expand the possibilities of what you yourself are capable of — helping you go above and beyond in your work through creativity, logistics, research… that's when we're really working smart!

chloechaerin

I agree that the biggest advantage AI tools give us is the time it frees up for humans to do other things. Now, what people do with that extra time is very personal and I think that’s where “working smarter” could come in handy. Most people will use the excess time to enjoy their time w friends and families (which is completely valid) but I think one COULD work smarter by researching areas where human touch is absolutely necessary and reaching out to customers (humans) to investigate further into their pain points. Perhaps working smarter means a balance of these, freeing up physical time and mental space to explore different problems/inefficiency that is present in this world n researching the ways to resolve them for humans.

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