---
id: "quote-artificial-diligence"
type: "quote"
source_timestamps: ["§ Emphasize human connection"]
source_url: "https://hbr.org/2026/02/how-to-foster-psychological-safety-when-ai-erodes-trust-on-your-team"
source_title: "How to Foster Psychological Safety When AI Erodes Trust on Your Team"
tags: ["ai-capabilities", "anthropomorphism"]
related: ["concept-artificial-diligence", "contrarian-anthropomorphizing-ai"]
speaker: "Jayshree Seth and Amy C. Edmondson"
speakers: ["Jayshree Seth", "Amy C. Edmondson"]
quote: "Current AI systems aren’t really intelligent but instead provide “artificial diligence” that can assist and augment human capabilities; yet most people, when surveyed, think of AI as a tool for problem-solving."
sources: ["adoption"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-adoption"
originDay: 9
articleStem: "hbr-cl-79-psychological-safety-ai-trust"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2026/02/how-to-foster-psychological-safety-when-ai-erodes-trust-on-your-team"
sourceTitle: "How to Foster Psychological Safety When AI Erodes Trust on Your Team"
---
# AI as Artificial Diligence

> "Current AI systems aren't really intelligent but instead provide 'artificial diligence' that can assist and augment human capabilities; yet most people, when surveyed, think of AI as a tool for problem-solving."
>
> — [[entity-jayshree-seth|Jayshree Seth]] and [[entity-amy-c-edmondson|Amy C. Edmondson]] (§ Emphasize human connection)

**Why it matters.** The source line behind the reframe in [[concept-artificial-diligence]] and the warning in [[contrarian-anthropomorphizing-ai]]. It names the expectation gap — people *think* AI does problem-solving; it actually does high-throughput diligence — that miscalibrates trust and drives the [[concept-human-ai-oversight-paradox]].