The hidden cost of “saving time” with AI

When AI saves time... and costs it back

Last week, AI saved me 10 hours.
It also created 3 new problems I had to fix manually.

Everyone’s chasing automation right now.
But here’s the part most people don’t talk about:
If your setup isn’t airtight, AI doesn’t just make mistakes—it multiplies them. Fast.

Here’s what happened inside my agent workflows last week:

→ Sent the wrong follow-up to the wrong person
→ Booked two meetings at the same time
→ Marked a task “complete” before it even started

Each issue took just enough time to be annoying—and just enough context to require me.
Not my AI. Me.

Automation is amazing…
until it forgets tone, context, or basic logic.

Yes, I saved time.
But I spent a chunk of that time cleaning up messes I didn’t plan for.

AI isn’t “set it and forget it.”
It’s only smart if your setup is.

Otherwise, you’re not saving time.
You’re just speeding up your mistakes.

Have you hit similar roadblocks with AI or automation?
Curious if I’m the only one cleaning up after my agents.

— Robin