AI copilots at work: where they help and where they fail

Where they help

• First drafts of text and code that a person will review.
• Summarising long material the person could read if needed.
• Boilerplate, translation and format changes.
• Searching and explaining unfamiliar material.

Where they fail

• Confident, wrong answers, especially on specifics.
• Work that needs context the tool cannot see.
• Anything where checking is as slow as doing.
• Subtle errors in code, numbers and citations.

Working with one

1. Ask for a draft, not a final.
2. Check every fact, figure and reference you will rely on.
3. Run and test generated code like any other code.
4. Keep sensitive data out unless your organisation has approved the tool.

For teams

Agree what the tools may be used for, what must be reviewed, and who is accountable. See applied AI: verify what the machine produces.

IICTP is a new independent credential and is not ISO/IEC 17024 accredited.