Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, recently sparked discussion by saying that tools like Slack, email and traditional productivity suites are contributing to what he calls “fake work”. He said:
“There are positives about Slack, but … I dread the first hour of the morning, last hour before I go to bed … where I’m just dealing with this explosion of Slack and I think it does create a lot of fake work.”
He added his belief that we may soon see a new productivity tool-category:
“I suspect there is something new to build that is going to replace … docs, slides, email, Slack … that will be sort of the AI-driven version of all of these things.”
Why This Matters
1. Reflection on Modern Work Tools
Altman’s comment puts a spotlight on how ubiquitous tools like Slack have become in knowledge-work settings—and yet, even leaders in AI believe these tools are far from perfect. The phrase “fake work” suggests that a lot of what we do may look busy but isn’t necessarily productive.
2. Implication for Productivity & Workflow
If Slack and similar platforms are enabling “fake work”, then companies and individuals may need to rethink how they use these tools: Are there endless threads, notifications, updates that don’t advance core goals? Altman’s remark invites organisations to evaluate the efficiency of their communication stacks.
3. A Nod to the Future: AI-First Productivity
Altman is not just critiquing current tools. He’s advocating for a future where the productivity suite is fundamentally re-built with AI agents at its core. Rather than incremental “AI features” on Slack-style tools, he envisions something newer, that automates routine coordination and surfaces only what truly needs human attention.
4. Industry Implications
Given that Slack is owned by Salesforce (via its acquisition of Slack) and closely tied to services from Microsoft, Altman’s comment can be read also as signalling competition in the productivity-software space, particularly as AI becomes more embedded in workflows. Moneycontrol
Criticisms & Considerations
- The term “fake work” is provocative and may come off as dismissive of many roles which feel real to their participants. Some critics argue that the underlying issue is not the tool, but how the tool is used—work culture, management, expectations. (See broader commentary leaking into AI job-automation debates.)
- Altman’s vision of AI-driven productivity tools is future-oriented—he admits they are “very far” from fully internally deployed.
- For many organisations, Slack and similar tools still solve major problems (remote collaboration, real-time messaging, replacing slower email). Dismissing them wholesale overlooks their current value.
What this Means for You / Organisations
- Audit your tool usage: How much time do teams spend in Slack threads, switching between channels, pinging each other vs doing actual deliverables?
- Clarify purpose: Messages and notifications should align with meaningful outcomes, not simply chatter or status updates.
- Prepare for transition: With leaders like Altman signalling a shift toward AI-first workflows, organisations may want to start exploring how AI agents can take over coordination, reminders, summarisation, and let humans focus on decision-making.
- Be mindful of change management: Moving to new tools or workflows won’t automatically solve the problem of “fake work”—processes, culture and management still matter.
Bottom Line
Sam Altman’s assertion that “Slack creates a lot of fake work” isn’t just a hot take—it reflects deeper questions about how modern workplaces use technology and where productivity gains truly lie. As AI continues to evolve, the tools we rely on today may be ripe for rethinking.
