One of the reasons so many people have hesitations about AI is that while technology is great when it’s working properly, it has an issue with common sense.

Nowhere is that more clear than with systems meant to manage work travel.

OP travels for work and on the surface, the rules are…what they are.

For background it’s important to know that when I travel for work, I can charge at most 8 hours even if the travel day is longer.

But if it’s not an 8 hour travel day I’m expected to log in and work up to 8.

Super fair. Heh.

Then the system told him to take a flight that would cost him 3 hours of work time to save less than a dollar.

Additionally, the travel booking tool flags your ticket and notifies your manager if it deems your selected flight is not the cheapest reasonable option.

I’ve never actually had a manager decline one of my choices, but the system was so dumb this time I invoked MC.

Instead of a 2.75 hour nonstop home, the system told me I should take the lower cost 1 stop, at a travel time of 5.75 hours, with a savings of $0.39.

Hey, no skin off his nose.

Instead of getting more work done, I got paid an extra 3 hours to watch some extra shows on my iPad and had an extra meal on the company travel allowance at the airport, which was around $30 value.

Delicious compliance!

Apparently this is a well-known tool.

But maybe some of it is user error.

Logic and reasoning need not apply.

It can make you feel like a teenager again.

Not everyone is a negative Nancy, though!

The thing is, nothing will even change.

But I suppose in OP’s eyes, that’s probably OK too.

If you liked that post, check out this one about an employee that got revenge on HR when they refused to reimburse his travel.