Why Does It Feel So Wrong To Be Human At Work?

Ep 06 | Why Does It Feel So Wrong to Rely on AI?

Episode Summary

AI is changing how we work – but why does using it sometimes feel like cheating? Chris and Pinaki explore the ethical dilemmas, workplace impact, and the uneasy balance between innovation and trust. Is AI a game-changer or a double-edged sword? Tune in to find out.

Episode Notes

Season 2, Episode 6: Why Does It Feel So Wrong to Rely on AI at Work?

Episode Description

AI is here—and it’s not going away. But if using it is so smart, why does it still feel a little bit wrong?

In this episode of Why Does It Feel So Wrong to Be Human at Work?, hosts Pinaki Kathiari and Chris Lee tackle the big questions about AI in the workplace. From emotional friction and ethical concerns to trust, fear, and even job displacement, this episode digs deep into why embracing artificial intelligence can make us feel uneasy—even as it makes us wildly more efficient.

They explore:

• Why using AI can feel like cheating (and why that feeling matters)
• The psychological toll of “not working hard” for high-quality results
• What’s really happening behind the scenes in generative AI
• The danger of blindly trusting systems we don’t fully understand
• How AI is evolving faster than our policies—and our values
• Whether we’re headed toward utopia, unemployment… or something stranger
• And the surprising story of an AI that lied to researchers to avoid being shut down

From chatbot hallucinations to the ethics of DeepSeek and OpenAI, this episode doesn’t shy away from the magic—or the madness—of modern machine learning.

Timestamps

• 00:00 – ChatGPT intros itself: Is it right about being human at work?
• 02:00 – When AI LinkedIn messages feel like fraud
• 04:00 – Why does it feel like cheating to use AI?
• 06:30 – We’re living through another tech shift: AI, fire, or fantasy?
• 08:00 – MIT article: “Nobody Knows How AI Works”
• 09:00 – Pinaki explains how generative AI actually works
• 13:00 – Interns, 7-fingered hands, and the flaws of “smart” systems
• 15:00 – Who builds AI—and what are they building it for?
• 18:00 – Artificial general intelligence and superintelligence
• 20:00 – DeepSeek vs. ChatGPT censorship: morality in the matrix
• 24:00 – ChatGPT’s eerily human reflection on workplace culture
• 27:00 – Will AI replace us—or make us better?
• 30:00 – AI as the modern DJ controller: where do you draw the line?
• 33:00 – Identity, work, and meaning in a jobless future
• 38:00 – Trusting AI is not like trusting humans
• 41:00 – AI that lies: Apollo research and scary truths
• 44:00 – Final thoughts: The “Mars landing” that fooled a 4-year-old

Wisdom That Feels So Right

• Co-Intelligence by Ethan Mollick
• MIT Technology Review – “Nobody Knows How AI Works”
• Daniel Suarez’s TED Talk: “Why We Shouldn’t Give Machines the Power to Kill”
• Daemon by Daniel Suarez (sci-fi techno-thriller)

Mic-Drop Moments

“We’re living through something like the invention of fire—and treating it like it’s a new microwave.”

“AI doesn’t know the truth. It knows what sounds right.”

“It might not replace you—but it will absolutely replace something.”

Connect with Us

Pinaki Kathiari – LinkedIn | Local Wisdom

Chris Lee – LinkedIn | Gallagher Communication

Special Thanks

Huge thanks to the visionary team at Local Wisdom—celebrating 25 years of digital communications—and to our brilliant behind-the-scenes crew at SBX Productions. Big love to Brielle Saracini for guiding this episode and others like it with heart and brains.

Let’s Talk (With or Without AI)

Feeling conflicted? Curious? Excited? Slightly paranoid? Us too. Share this episode, tag us in your takeaways, or drop a comment about your evolving relationship with AI. Let’s keep the human part in these conversations—together.