This raises what I like to call the "AI test for tasks".
If many people use AI to do task X, then that tells you that task X is actually just a brainless administrative exercise.
Any such task should probably be eliminated, and if that's not an option, modified to make automation even easier.
There was never any point to having reference letters. That's why we've all started using AI to do this nonesense task.
References should only be used for short-listed candidates for important positions/awards, and ideally, be done via a call to get the most honest opinion possible.
On a similar note, I feel like we ought to stop writing papers as flowing text and instead just have the bullet points you would have used as a prompt.
I'm actually not joking.
Nov 14, 2025 19:17
