FAQ
Questions and answers
Short answers to what people ask most. The study information page has the full detail.
About the study
What is this study?
An independent research study on why some people get real results from AI at work and most don’t. You answer 6 short questions, run one prompt in the AI you already use, and upload the report it writes. How each question will be answered
Who is running it?
Tim Wickham, an independent researcher. It isn’t run or paid for by any employer, university or AI company, and it’s non-commercial. About the researcher
Has an ethics board reviewed it?
No. As an independent study it has no university ethics committee. Instead it follows published research-ethics and privacy standards, listed on the study information page.
What happens with the results, and when?
The findings will be published as an academic paper and a free, plain-language summary on this site, after the study closes. There’s no date yet. Where the study is now
Taking part
Who can take part?
Anyone aged 18 or over who uses AI for work, at any level. “I rarely use AI” is just as useful to the study as an expert’s answer.
I’m self-employed. Can I take part?
Yes, you’re welcome. Choose “Just me (self-employed)” for organization size, and the self-employed answers where they appear.
I know Tim through work. Does that matter?
Taking part is entirely up to you. Whether you take part, and what your report says, won’t affect any work relationship with him, and he won’t ask anyone whether they took part.
How long does it take?
About 15 to 20 minutes: 3 to 4 minutes for the questions, 10 to 15 for your AI to write the report, and a couple of minutes to check it and upload it.
Do I get paid?
No. You keep the report your AI writes about how you work with it. See what you’ll get
Do I need an account or to give my name?
No account, and taking part doesn’t ask for your name. You get a private code instead, which you use to upload your report and, if you want, to delete your submission.
Can I stop partway through?
Yes, at any point. If you stop after the 6 questions but before uploading, your answers are kept, and you can delete them with your private code. If you stop earlier, or answer No to the last question, nothing is kept.
Can I do it on my phone?
Yes. Answer the questions here, run the prompt in your AI’s app, then paste the report’s text into the upload page. You don’t need to save a file.
Your AI
I use several AI tools. Which one should I use?
Use the one you use most for work, and take part once. The study counts people, so one report each keeps the results fair. You’re welcome to run the prompt in your other AIs too and keep those reports for yourself. Don’t upload those.
Why are there two versions of the prompt?
If your AI can see your files or past chats, the history version has it review them. If it can’t, the interview version has it ask you 5 short questions (and a few follow-ups if needed) instead. We suggest one from your answers, and you can switch on the prompt page. What goes in, what comes out
Will my AI change or delete anything?
It shouldn’t. The history version is told to read only and create nothing except the report; if it asks to change, delete or send anything, say no. The interview version is told not to open files or run tools.
Is this allowed at my work?
Some employers limit which AI tools you can use or what you can put into them. Please check your employer’s rules before you take part. If your AI account is run by your employer, your employer may be able to see that chat.
Will my employer find out?
Not from us. Your data is never shared with your employer or any AI company, and the researcher won’t ask anyone whether you took part. If your AI account is run by your employer, though, your employer may be able to see the chat with your AI.
Will you see my chat with my AI?
No. Your conversation stays with your AI provider, under its own terms. We only see the report you choose to upload.
Your report
What will my report say?
Your level, what you already do well, what’s holding you back, and up to three next moves with examples. It’s a plain text file, usually 800 to 2,200 words. See a sample
What if the report is wrong?
It might be. Your AI writes it, so treat it as a starting point, not a verdict. The study looks at patterns across many reports, not at any one person.
Do I have to upload my report?
No, it’s your choice. But the report is the heart of the study: your answers give the outline, and the report shows the detail of how people actually work with AI. We’d really value it.
What should I remove before uploading?
Names of people, your employer, clients, and anything confidential. If the “Try it like this” examples describe your work too closely, delete them. The upload page also flags emails, phone numbers and things that look like passwords.
My AI gave me two copies. Which one do I upload?
Upload the version your AI labelled for upload: the text (markdown) version, usually ai-work-profile.md, or paste it using the Copy button at the top of that block (not the one under the whole reply). The PDF, Word or web page copy is just for you to read and keep.
I can’t open the .md file. What do I do?
You don’t need to open it. Upload the file as it is, or paste the report from your AI’s chat instead. To read your report, use the readable copy your AI made, or read it in the chat.
Can I upload later, or from another device?
Yes. Use Upload your report at the bottom of any page and enter your private code. Uploading again with the same code replaces your earlier report.
What can I do with my report afterwards?
It’s yours to keep and act on. Put your report to work has questions to ask your AI and follow-up prompts.
Your data and privacy
What do you keep?
Your answers, the report you upload, when you agreed and to which version, and which of two versions of the home page you saw. Not your name, and we don’t store your IP address (our web host may briefly record it in its own logs). Full study information
Who sees my report?
Only the researcher, helped by an AI tool (Anthropic’s Claude, with training switched off; Anthropic deletes those conversations within 30 days). It’s stored with Supabase and Render in the United States.
Could someone recognise me in the results?
Results are published only as totals and paraphrased examples that don’t identify anyone, and any group with fewer than 5 people is combined with others or left out. If you know Tim, he may be able to guess which report is yours; every report is treated the same way.
How long is my data kept?
Until 3 years after the study closes to new submissions, then it’s deleted. The close date will be posted on this site.
How do I delete my submission?
Enter your private code on the Delete page before findings are published. It leaves the study database straight away and the researcher’s copies at his next update; hosting backups expire on their own schedule, and totals already published can’t change. It doesn’t remove you from study updates.
I lost my private code. What now?
We can’t recover it. To delete an earlier submission, contact us with roughly when you took part and your answer to the role question. If you haven’t uploaded yet, you can start again from the beginning; tell us on the contact page so we delete the earlier answers.
Staying in touch
How will I hear about the findings?
Sign up for study updates: a few short emails, then the findings. The list is kept apart from any report and deleted after the findings email. Or check the Findings page.
I have a question that isn’t here.
Use the contact page. Tim reads every message himself.