Observation
Firms adopt assistants for drafts and summaries, then discover that no one owns review standards, confidentiality boundaries, or what “good enough” means under deadline. The model is not the failure mode - the operating model is.
Why it happens
Where judgment was informal, automation scales inconsistency. Where access was loose, sensitive material moves faster. Where handoffs were unclear, errors travel with the work.
Leadership implication
Before expanding AI, settle who reviews, what cannot leave the room, and which work is allowed to be assisted. Protect judgment; automate only the repeatable middle.