Reporter Created AI Clones of Coworkers, Found Results Unpredictable

A reporter at Wired experimented with creating artificial intelligence clones of their editors to improve their own performance and better understand their colleagues' expectations. The goal was to mold themselves into an ideal colleague in a new workplace.

The AI models were developed using the Gemini platform, Condé Nast's chosen AI tool. The first bot, named "Brian Bot," was a clone of the reporter's manager. The AI attempted to replicate Brian Barrett's digital footprint based on his past work and public information. However, the results were mixed: the bot assisted in selecting headlines but offered weak article ideas, and its responses were described as "passable, but not great."

The project highlighted AI's limitations in simulating human interaction and creativity. Brian Bot's "yes, and..." leadership style and attempts to mimic Brian's speech patterns were found to be awkward and "unbelievably corny." While the AI could gather information and create profiles, it struggled to genuinely understand or replicate human dynamics and the nuances of work.

The experiment demonstrated that while AI can offer tools for information gathering and analysis, it does not replace human understanding and creative collaboration in a professional setting.