I Built AI Clones of My Coworkers. Brian Bot loved talking about improv, while Sophie Bot wouldn't stop calling me "big dog." Welcome to the future of work. When I decided to create artificial intelligence clones of my editors, my intentions were pure: I just wanted them to think I was good at my job. AI assistants are suddenly everywhere in the workplace. Each week, my inbox is flooded with press releases about digital workers, and CEOs brag about how robot helpers will soon dominate their workforces. Then there are the stories I hear about people who build AI clones of their bosses, using them to spit-shine every idea, message, or draft before sending it over to their actual human supervisors. The goal seems to be productivity and optimization: If employees can cheaply and quickly improve their output, their job performance--and the performance of their employers--will be better for it.