AI Performance Reviews? Please, no

Employees deserve better

In the latest news, JPMorgan, Citi and BCG are letting managers use AI chatbots to help generate performance reviews.

At first glance, this sounds like a welcome relief for overworked managers. Review systems are often bloated with long, redundant and irrelevant questions.

AI might seem like the answer, but what happens when it generates feedback that’s vague or wrong? Anyone who’s dealt with a performance dispute knows how this ends:

“𝘋𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘐 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘵”.

Instead of filling reviews with AI-generated fluff, leaders should simplify assessment systems to their meaningful core.

I’ve spent a ton of time writing reviews, for teams as large as 12 direct reports. Thoughtful feedback is critical for performance management and career development. And while nothing in a review should be a surprise, they still carry weight in official systems.

Managers often focus on the live review, but written feedback is just as important. Employees won’t remember every word, but they’ll reflect on what’s written later.

𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀: If you’re using AI to write reviews, make sure the words say exactly what you mean. Even better, write them yourself.

Performance reviews aren’t meaningless paperwork. They are a sign of respect.