Research: The Hidden Penalty of Using AI at Work
22 Sep 2025
---
A new study reveals a hidden cost of AI at work: engineers judged identical code far more harshly when they thought AI helped write it. Learn how companies can prevent this hidden “competence penalty” and make AI adoption fair for everyone.

Read the full article here: https://s.hbr.org/4pyDv55

Research: The Hidden Penalty of Using AI at Work 22 Sep 2025 --- A new study reveals a hidden cost of AI at work: engineers judged identical code far more harshly when they thought AI helped write it. Learn how companies can prevent this hidden “competence penalty” and make AI adoption fair for everyone. Read the full article here: https://s.hbr.org/4pyDv55

Research: The Hidden Penalty of Using AI at Work

At Harvard Business Review, we believe in management. If the world’s organizations and institutions were run more effectively, if our leaders made better decisions, if people worked more productively, we believe that all of us — employees, bosses, customers, our families, and the people our businesses affect — would be better off. We try to arm our readers with ideas that help them become smarter, more creative, and more courageous in their work. 

We encourage comments, critiques, and questions. We expect our community to be a safe space for respectful, constructive, and thought-provoking discussion. We reserve the right to remove or turn off comments at our discretion. We do not tolerate bullying, name-calling, or abusive language related to identity, including race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, age, or region; spam; copyright violation; extreme profanity; or p*rnography.

Business

Education

Careers

At Harvard Business Review, we believe in management. If the world’s organizations and institutions were run more effectively, if our leaders made better decisions, if people worked more productively, we believe that all of us — employees, bosses, customers, our families, and the people our businesses affect — would be better off. We try to arm our readers with ideas that help them become smarter, more creative, and more courageous in their work. We encourage comments, critiques, and questions. We expect our community to be a safe space for respectful, constructive, and thought-provoking discussion. We reserve the right to remove or turn off comments at our discretion. We do not tolerate bullying, name-calling, or abusive language related to identity, including race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, age, or region; spam; copyright violation; extreme profanity; or p*rnography.

Share Research: The Hidden Penalty of Using AI at Work

Sign up to save your podcasts

Research: The Hidden Penalty of Using AI at Work

Research: The Hidden Penalty of Using AI at Work