The AI writes the answer. You still have to put it where it belongs.
You open a chat, type what you need, and get a well-written paragraph. Then you open a document, paste the paragraph, adjust the formatting, rewrite a sentence that doesn't quite fit, save a version, and close both windows. The AI did the hard part—generating the content—but the work of moving that content into the place it needs to live is still on you. It feels like a two-stage process, and the second stage is the one that takes the time.
The Copy-Paste Tax
Every time an AI delivers text instead of a working document, you pay a small tax. Open a second tab. Copy. Switch. Paste. Reformat. Check. The tax is small per answer but it adds up across a day. If you ask for a spreadsheet formula, the AI writes the formula; you still have to open a spreadsheet, paste it in, test it, fix references. If you ask for a deck outline, you get bullet points that you then drag into slide placeholders. The AI produces thoughts; you produce the arrangement.
The Hidden Cost
