[Assistant] Hey, thanks for chatting with me. We're just trying to learn how people use AI tools like this one at work, so your thoughts will really help. I'll be asking about how you actually use AI on the job, what you like or don't like, that sort of thing. No pressure, and it'll just take about ten minutes. Sound okay? Any questions before we start?

[User] Yeah, no, that's fine. No questions.

[Assistant] Alright, let's get started. Can you walk me through how you use AI during your workday? What kinds of things do you use it for?

[User] Uh, so, AI shows up at work in two ways. One is, like, our company has it built into stuff, like, Genesys, which we use for calls, has AI that listens in and pops up info or forms for us. The other way is, I, I use it myself for all sorts of things. I might ask it to grab info from Google Maps links, pull key points from documents, or put stuff into bullet points for quick emails or texts.

[Assistant] That's cool, seeing both the built-in and your own uses. When you use AI to pull info from documents or summarize things, how does that usually go? Do you just upload the file and ask questions, or is it more involved?

[User] Yeah, I just upload the doc, then, you know, I'll ask for, like, the names listed in it if I need to email folks, or sometimes I want a short summary for a group message so it's clear what people need to do next. Sometimes I'll ask it to pull out specific data for a spreadsheet.

[Assistant] Sounds like you've got a good system. When you're working with the AI on those docs, do you go back and forth, tweaking your questions, or do you usually know what you need right away?

[User] It kinda depends. Most of the time, I only need to ask two or three times. But sometimes, like, the answer changes what I'm looking for, so I switch up my questions as I go.

[Assistant] Interesting, so sometimes the AI helps you figure out a better way to do things than you planned. Are there jobs where you’d rather just handle it yourself, even if AI could help? What makes you decide?

[User] Yeah, if it's a simple thing, I’ll just open Word and do it. But, uh, I usually end up running it through AI after anyway, just to see if its suggestions are better.

[Assistant] So it's kind of like getting a second opinion. When you're working with AI, do you usually collaborate with it through a task, or just hand it off and let it do its thing?

[User] I like to work with it together, you know, more of a back-and-forth.


[Assistant] Hey, thanks for chatting with me today. We're just looking to learn how folks use AI at work, what you like, what you don't, that sort of thing. It's super informal, takes about ten minutes, and nothing you say will be tied back to you. Sound good? Any questions before we get started?

[User] Yeah, uh, that sounds fine.

[Assistant] Awesome. So, can you tell me how, if at all, AI fits into your workday? What do you usually use it for?

[User] Well, um, my company doesn't really use AI day-to-day yet, but I do. Mostly, I use it at work when I need answers, like, about materials or, you know, efficiency stuff.

[Assistant] Interesting, you’re using it even though it’s not officially part of your job. Could you give me an example? Like, what kind of question would you ask, and how does AI help?

[User] Yeah, so, I work with metals, and it’s important to know how they might rust or oxidize, depending on conditions. AI’s great for questions like that.

[Assistant] That makes sense, AI can be pretty handy for quick technical info. When you have those metal questions, do you usually go to AI first, or do you check other resources too? What makes you pick AI?

[User] I usually go to AI first, just 'cause it's easy. If it’s not something only my company would know, I’ll try AI before anything else.

[Assistant] Got it, that’s a smart way to use it for general stuff. Are there tasks you’d rather do yourself, even if AI could help? What’s different about those?

[User] Yeah, like, anything private about my company, I don’t use AI for that. Feels like a privacy issue, you know? So, yeah, there’s stuff I’m just not comfortable sharing with AI.

[Assistant] Makes total sense, you’ve got a clear line between what you’ll ask and what you’d keep private. When you do use AI for those general metal questions, do you usually just ask once and move on, or do you go back and forth with more follow-ups?


[Assistant] Hey, thanks for chatting with me today. We're just trying to learn more about how folks use AI in their jobs, especially tools like this one. I'll be asking you a few things about your work and how you use AI, there's no right or wrong answers. Should only take about 10 minutes. And don't worry, nothing you say will be tied back to you personally. Sound okay? Any questions before we get started?

[User] Yeah, that's fine. Nope, I'm good, let's go ahead.

[Assistant] Awesome. So, can you tell me a bit about how AI fits into your workday? Like, what do you usually use it for?

[User] Uh, yeah, it's actually a big part of my day. I'm a software engineer at a robotics start-up, so I use AI a lot for, you know, writing and fixing code. Probably like 70% of my AI use is just debugging big projects. It saves me a ton of time.

[Assistant] That’s really interesting, sounds like debugging is a big one for you. Could you walk me through how that works? Like, how do you actually use AI when you’re trying to track down a bug?

[User] Sure. So, since we're doing robotics, all our code's in ROS2. If, say, someone presses a button and the robot doesn't do what it's supposed to, I'd just describe what's going on to the AI. Then it helps me dig into the code, follow the data, and figure out where stuff might be going wrong.

[Assistant] That’s a pretty cool process, having AI help you trace things. When you’re debugging like that, do you usually go back and forth with the AI, or do you just give it everything at once and let it run with it?

[User] Oh, I, I definitely have to go back and forth. Like, it almost never gets it right on the first try, but it usually points me in the right direction. So, you know, I might try its suggestion, run the code, then tell it what happened, and keep tweaking things till it works.

[Assistant] Sounds like you’ve figured out a good back-and-forth rhythm. How do you decide what info to give the AI at each step? Do you have any strategies for making sure it gets what it needs without getting overwhelmed?

[User] Yeah, you kinda have to be careful. I try to give it just what it needs, like the code, output from the terminal, or even what the hardware did, like if a motor moved or not. For ROS2, the topic echo output is super helpful. But, you know, you have to leave out stuff that might just confuse it, like debug prints from other parts of the code that don't matter.

[Assistant] That’s a smart way to handle it, giving it the useful stuff and skipping the noise. I’m curious, are there any tasks where you’d rather handle things yourself, even though AI could maybe help?

[User] Yeah, for sure. We always do the high-level architecture by hand, even though AI could help. Same with integration, like, uh, setting up a UDP messaging system between the robot and the operator PC, we do all that ourselves, so everyone stays on the same page.

[Assistant] Makes sense, keeping those big-picture and integration tasks with the team for consistency. What is it about those jobs that makes you want to keep them human-led instead of letting AI handle them?


[Assistant] Hey, thanks for chatting with me today. We're just looking to learn more about how folks are using AI tools like this at work. There aren't any right or wrong answers, and it'll only take about 10 minutes. Does that sound alright? Any questions before we start?

[User] Nope, we can start.

[Assistant] Perfect. So, could you tell me how you use AI in your day-to-day work? What kinds of tasks do you usually use it for?

[User] Yeah, I, I use AI mostly to automate those boring admin tasks. I started, like, a year and a half ago, using Power Query in Excel to make some training reports easier to read. I wasn't great with the M language back then, so I'd ask AI for help writing code. Now I just keep using it to make things more efficient whenever I can.

[Assistant] Sounds like AI kind of became your coding buddy for those Excel projects. How did that actually go? What did your back-and-forth with the AI look like when you were building the training tracker?

[User] So, I'd explain where I was stuck and ask for code one piece at a time. Since I couldn't use real data 'cause of privacy stuff at work, I'd just use fake names for columns and rows and then swap 'em out later. I'd test what the AI gave me and keep going. These days, the company actually wants us to use AI, so it's a lot easier.

[Assistant] That's a big shift, from restrictions to actually encouraging AI use. When you were getting code help, did you work with the AI step by step, or did you get bigger chunks to use all at once?

[User] It was pretty much step by step. At first, I'd have to ask if what I wanted was even possible, then get the code for it. I'm, uh, way more comfortable with it now, especially with the newer models.

[Assistant] Got it. So, what's better for you with these newer models? What makes things easier now?

[User] Oh, the code is way better. Like, I barely have to fix anything now. Before, I'd have to copy in error messages and ask it to debug, but now it just kinda works.

[Assistant] That must save you a ton of time. Are there any tasks you still like to do yourself, even if AI could handle them? What makes you want to keep those manual?

[User] Yeah, I still do the sensitive stuff myself. I mostly use AI for, you know, pulling together data, but I always double-check everything before I send it out.


[Assistant] Thanks for chatting with me today. I'm looking to learn how folks use AI at work, your input'll help us out a lot. Is it alright if I ask about your experiences? And just so you know, nothing you say will be linked back to you.

[User] Yeah, that's fine.

[Assistant] Awesome, thanks. So, how does AI fit into your normal workday? What kinds of stuff do you use it for?

[User] Well, I, I use it for things like, uh, writing up sales listings on Ebay, coming up with replies to customers, or just pulling together product info. Sometimes I'll get it to look at my sales data and suggest ways to get more traffic or boost sales.

[Assistant] Sounds like you use it for a bunch of things. When you're doing those listings or customer replies, do you usually need to go back and forth with the AI to get it right, or does it usually nail it first try?

[User] Oh, I, I almost always have to go back and forth, unless it's super simple or I've given, like, really detailed info up front.

[Assistant] Can you walk me through what that back-and-forth looks like? What kinda tweaks do you usually have to make?

[User] Yeah, so, say I'm writing a listing, I usually have to ask for stuff like, um, better formatting, bold headers, spacing, or making sure certain words aren't used because of Ebay's rules. Like, I sell water pipes, but I can't say anything that sounds like it's for marijuana, so I have to keep reminding the AI to call them 'tobacco products' and avoid certain words. With customer replies, if it's something basic, AI's fine, but if it's complicated, I end up having to add so much detail that, honestly, it's sometimes faster just to write it myself.

[Assistant] That's really helpful, it sounds like you know exactly when AI's worth it or not. Are there any tasks you just prefer to handle yourself, even though AI could help? What's different about those?

[User] Yeah, anything where I want it to sound more personal, like, uh, talking to customers when I need to be extra thoughtful. Like, if I can't give a full refund, but I still want to show I care, I just do it myself. Sometimes with listings, if I want to add my opinion or a specific touch, AI doesn't really get it right, so I end up editing a lot. It saves me some time, but it can still take a while.


[Assistant] Hey, thanks for chatting with me. We're just looking to learn how people use AI like me at work, so your thoughts would be super helpful. It'll only take about 10 minutes, and anything you share is totally confidential. Sound good? Any questions before we get started?

[User] Nope, I'm good. Let's go.

[Assistant] Awesome. So, how do you usually use AI during your workday? Like, what kinds of stuff do you use it for?

[User] Uh, mostly to speed up things like calculations, data entry, and, you know, writing emails or drafts.

[Assistant] Got it. When you say 'speed up,' what does that actually look like? Can you walk me through how you'd use AI for, say, writing an email?

[User] Yeah, so if I need to write an email, I just type out what I want to say, the tone, what to include or leave out... and then AI spits out a draft in, like, under a minute. If I did it myself, I'd spend way longer writing, editing, maybe even looking up words if I get stuck.

[Assistant] Makes sense. Sounds like you're still pretty hands-on, creating the prompt, checking the draft. Are there certain things where you'd rather not use AI, even if you could? What makes those different for you?

[User] If it's confidential, I just do it myself. I'm, uh, not totally sure how my data gets used.

[Assistant] Yeah, that's understandable. Besides confidential stuff, are there other tasks you prefer to handle yourself? What drives that choice?

[User] Sometimes I just want to do my own research. AI can get things wrong, and honestly, fact-checking takes as long as just looking it up myself somewhere I trust.

[Assistant] That's a good point about fact-checking. When you do use AI, do you usually work together with it, or let it just handle the whole task on its own?

[User] Oh, I never let it just do everything. I always work with it so I can make sure the info's right.

[Assistant] How's that collaboration go, usually? What does that back-and-forth look like for you?

[User] Like, if I'm working on a tricky spreadsheet, I'll tell AI what I'm trying to do and ask which formula I need. It'll give me some options and explain them, then I pick one and try it out. If it doesn't work, I go back and ask for more help, and we just keep going like that.


[Assistant] Hey, thanks for joining me today. We're just looking to learn how folks like you use AI at work, nothing formal, just your take. I'll ask some questions about how you use AI tools, what you like, what you don't, that sort of thing. No pressure, and everything's anonymous. Any questions, or are you good to start?

[User] Yeah, sounds good, let's just get started.

[Assistant] Great! So, can you walk me through how AI fits into your day-to-day work? What kinds of things do you use it for?

[User] Uh, so I'm a software engineer, just got outta school recently, so, I use AI all the time. My manager gives me a task, I think it through a bit, then I, I try asking Copilot with my version of the problem to see what it suggests. I use it for a lot of stuff, kinda mix its ideas with my own.

[Assistant] Interesting. So when you try out Copilot's suggestions, do you usually just go with what it gives you, or do you tweak things and keep going back and forth until it works?

[User] Usually, I run with its first suggestion, test it, and if something's off, I, you know, just re-prompt it. Once I've got a solution that works, I end up cleaning it up, Copilot loves to add way too many comments, so I trim those and make sure it matches the rest of our code.

[Assistant] Got it, so you're always making sure the end result fits your team's style. Are there any types of tasks you always do yourself, even though you could use AI? What makes those different for you?

[User] Yeah, uh, when it comes to, like, pushing code or messing with GitHub, I always do that myself. It's just, you know, one weird AI mistake and you could break something, like pushing to main by accident. Anything quick or risky, I'd rather just handle it, less hassle if something goes wrong.

[Assistant] Makes sense, you know where you can trust the AI and where it's better to just do it yourself. When you're coding, do you usually work alongside the AI, or do you let it handle whole tasks on its own?

[User] It's a mix. For small things, like a little CSS tweak, I'll have Copilot do it because it's faster. But if it's a big change, like adding server-side rendering, I think it through myself, maybe ask Gemini or another AI for ideas, plan it out, then let the coding AI give it a shot. Big stuff always needs more fixing up at the end.


[Assistant] Hey, thanks for chatting with me today. I'm just looking to hear how you're using AI at work, there's no right or wrong answer, just your experience. It'll take about ten minutes. Anything you share's confidential. Sound good? Any questions before we start?

[User] Uh, nope, I'm good.

[Assistant] Awesome. So, how do you use AI in your day-to-day work? What kinda stuff are you using it for?

[User] I, I mostly use it to write product descriptions for e-commerce sites.

[Assistant] Got it. Can you walk me through how you do that with AI? Like, what's your usual process?

[User] Yeah, so I usually give it an image or just the product title and ask for a description. Images seem to work better ’cause AI picks up on the details.

[Assistant] Makes sense that it does better with images. After you get that first draft, do you usually keep it as is, or do you tweak it?

[User] Sometimes I ask it to make it shorter or do bullet points, but, uh, most of the time I just use it as is.

[Assistant] Sounds like it's doing a good job right away. Are there any tasks you like to handle yourself, even if AI could help? What makes those different for you?

[User] Yeah, I, I keep the less boring stuff for me. But when there's a ton of products, writing all those descriptions gets old, so I let the AI do it.

[Assistant] That makes sense, save the interesting stuff for yourself, let AI do the repetitive bits. When you're using AI for those descriptions, do you usually go back and forth with it a lot, or just hand it off and let it do its thing?

[User] Mostly just let it do its thing, like, 90% of the time.


[Assistant] Hey, thanks for chatting with me! We're just trying to learn more about how folks are using AI at work. I'll ask you a few things about how you use AI, what you like or don't like, that sort of thing. There aren't any right or wrong answers, it's all just to help us understand better. Should only take like 10 minutes, and your answers aren't linked to you. Sound good? Any questions before we start?

[User] Nope, that all sounds good.

[Assistant] Awesome. So, could you walk me through how you use AI in your workday? What kind of stuff do you use it for?

[User] Yeah, so, I'm a published author, and, uh, I mostly use AI for research. Like, since I write fiction that's kinda set in historical worlds, I end up asking, you know, really specific questions about stuff from the Regency era that'd take forever to Google.

[Assistant] Interesting, so AI helps you dig up those really detailed historical facts. Can you give me an example of a super specific question you've asked lately? And what makes you go to AI for that instead of just searching online?

[User] Sure, so, like, I asked what kind of fabric a middle-class woman's dress would've been made of back then. Or, uh, what weapons they used, like, were they using pistols or revolvers?

[Assistant] Got it, those are definitely the kinds of questions that could take ages to track down the old-fashioned way. When it comes to your writing, are there certain things you always prefer to do yourself, even if AI could help? What makes you draw the line there?

[User] Yeah, absolutely. I, I never have AI write passages for me. Sometimes I'll use it to brainstorm names or maybe get some ideas for metaphors, but, you know, I just don't want AI writing for me.

[Assistant] Totally get that. What is it about the actual writing that makes you keep AI out of it, compared to research or brainstorming?

[User] I think, for me, being an author is all about having your own voice. If I let AI write, it just wouldn't sound like me.

[Assistant] Makes perfect sense, your voice is what sets your work apart. When you do use AI for research or brainstorming, do you usually go back and forth a lot, or is it more just asking a question, getting the answer, and moving on?

[User] Usually I just ask a question and that's it. Sometimes the answer gives me an idea for another question, so then I'll go back and forth a bit, but mostly it's just quick questions.


[Assistant] Hey, thanks for chatting today. We're just hoping to learn how folks use AI like me at work, what you like, what you don't, that kind of thing. It'll just take about 10 minutes. Anything you wanna ask before we get started?

[User] Nope, I'm good, let's do it.

[Assistant] Awesome. So, can you walk me through how you use AI during your workday? Like, what kinds of stuff do you use it for?

[User] Yeah, sure. So, I, uh, write show notes for podcasts, and honestly, AI's super helpful for making my writing better or sparking ideas for catchy titles. I pretty much use it all day, sometimes at the start, sometimes to polish things at the end. Mostly, it's for when I get stuck creatively or need to make the writing more punchy.

[Assistant] Got it, so it's like your creative partner and editor. Are there any tasks you always wanna do yourself, even though AI could help? What makes those different for you?

[User] Yeah, totally. Like, some people use AI for making timestamps or that 'what we talked about' section, you know? They have it transcribe and then summarize, but I just can't trust it not to miss important stuff. Plus I actually love that part, listening and pulling out the key points. Sure, AI's faster, but it doesn't quite hit the quality I want, and I'd miss out on the part I enjoy most.

[Assistant] Makes sense, so for you, it’s about quality and actually enjoying the process, even if it takes longer. When you do use AI for creative or editing help, do you usually work side-by-side with it, or just hand stuff over for it to finish?

[User] Oh, it's definitely back-and-forth. I'll, like, write a quick episode summary and the kind of title I'm after, then ask AI for a handful of title ideas. I pick one, maybe tweak it, then write the show notes myself. After that, I paste them in and ask the AI to make 'em flow better or be more engaging, then I just use what I like from its suggestions. If I get stuck, I let AI help me get unstuck, it's especially good for that.

[Assistant] Thanks, that's a really clear picture. Sounds like you keep control but use AI as a creative boost. I'm curious, has the way your coworkers use AI or your workplace culture changed how you use it at all?


[Assistant] Hey, thanks for chatting with me today. We're trying to learn more about how folks use AI like Claude at work. I'll ask you a few questions about your experiences, there are no right or wrong answers, just whatever comes to mind. Should take about ten minutes. Does that all sound okay, or do you wanna ask anything before we get started?

[User] Nope, I'm good. No questions.

[Assistant] Awesome, let's jump in. How does AI fit into your usual workday? What sort of things do you use it for?

[User] Uh, I mostly use it for, like, simple or repetitive stuff, things AI can just, you know, knock out fast. Sometimes, I’ll use it for trickier stuff, like, uh, finishing bits of code or finding bugs, or, um, writing up a method signature.

[Assistant] Got it. What about those simple tasks, can you give me a few examples of what you have AI handle there?

[User] Yeah, sure. Stuff like turning raw table data into a graph, making Excel formulas, or, um, reformatting a bunch of code without changing what it does.

[Assistant] Okay, so things like data viz, Excel, and code cleanup. Are there any tasks where you’d rather do it yourself, even if AI could help? What makes you want to keep those ones hands-on?

[User] Yeah, I, I like to write code and docs myself. AI just, it doesn’t really do a great job there, it’s not good at making code easy to read or explaining things the way we need for our big, kinda complicated codebase. Plus, I get worried about privacy, like, if something’s sensitive, I don’t want to risk sharing it with an outside company.

[Assistant] Makes sense, you've got quality and privacy on your mind. When you do use AI for things like data viz or reformatting, do you just hand off the whole task, or are you more involved along the way?

[User] Oh, I, I never just hand stuff off. I usually guide the AI, tell it exactly what I want, and then double-check for mistakes.

[Assistant] So you're pretty hands-on, giving direction and making sure it's right. Have your coworkers or the general vibe at work shaped the way you use AI?


[Assistant] Hey, thanks for chatting with me today. I'm looking to learn more about how folks are using AI at work, stuff like what you use it for, what you like or don't like. It'll just be about 10 minutes, and anything you share stays anonymous. Sound good? Any questions before we start?

[User] Yeah, that's fine.

[Assistant] Awesome, let's get started. So, how does AI usually fit into your workday? What kinds of things do you use it for?

[User] Uh, I use it for a bunch of things, like, summarizing documents, um, helping me with my writing, sometimes summarizing meetings too, or, you know, giving me ideas for how to structure a talk or something I'm writing.

[Assistant] That's a nice range. When you say it helps with your writing, what does that look like? Do you usually get feedback on drafts you've already written, or do you start from scratch with it?

[User] Mostly feedback on what I've written. Like, I'll use AI to check stuff like if everything's in active voice.

[Assistant] So, more like an editor for specific things. Are there any tasks you prefer to handle on your own, even if AI could help? What makes those different for you?

[User] Yeah, I, I like to draft things myself. If I start with my own work and just use AI as an editor, it's easier. But if I let AI write it, then I gotta fact-check, make it sound like me, and edit it anyway. I'd rather just do the first part myself than fix a bunch of stuff after.

[Assistant] That makes sense, seems like it's just more efficient your way. When you're using AI at work, do you usually work with it step-by-step, or do you give it a full task and let it run with it?

[User] I, uh, I usually collaborate with it.

[Assistant] Could you walk me through what that collaboration looks like? Maybe share an example of how you and AI work together on something?