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How do you actually use AI in your work?

A research team at UC Santa Barbara is studying how people really use AI at work. Complete a survey and share your ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini history to get a personalized AI Work Style Profile in return.

Start the studyRead the participant information sheet
Seal of the University of California, Santa Barbara
Time15–25 minutes
What you doA short surveythen upload your ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini history
What you getA personalized AI Work Style Profile
Eligibility18+use AI for work at least a few times a week

Oversight: UC Santa Barbara Institutional Review Board (IRB)

About this research

Existing models of AI and automation are built on assumptions about what AI can do. We aim to measure what workers actually do: what they hand off, what they keep, and how much they verify.

The study starts with a pilot of about 50–200 participants before opening to workers in every occupation.

How this research works

4 steps · 15–25 minutes
  1. 01Questions

    Complete a short survey

    Your background, your work, and how you use AI.
  2. 02Your conversations

    Upload your activity data

    Export your ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini history and upload it.
  3. 03Your conversations

    Ask your AI about you

    Paste three prompts into your own AI tool, then tell us how well it understood you.
  4. 04Your profile

    Get your AI Work Style Profile

    We'll email you when it's ready. Built from your work conversations. Yours to keep and share.

How your data is handled

Here is exactly what happens to your data.

  1. Sent securely to the study's server

    Your files travel over an encrypted connection to a restricted processing area. The original upload is deleted once identifying details are removed and your work-related conversations are identified.

  2. Identifiers removed first

    The first step automatically redacts names and other direct identifiers, plus passwords and other credentials. Automated redaction can miss things, so only upload what you're allowed to share.

  3. Personal chats are deleted

    Conversations that aren't about work are deleted and not kept. Redacted work conversations and the measures drawn from them are kept for research.

  4. A study code, not your name

    Research records are stored under a random study code. Your email is kept in a separate system, used to tell you when your profile is ready, and deleted after it's delivered.

  5. Encrypted, access-controlled storage

    Data is stored in the United States, encrypted in transit and at rest, and only approved researchers can reach it. Records are deleted four years after the study ends.
Start the studyRead the participant information sheet

Your AI Work Style Profile

Automatically generated from your conversation history. No manual logging.

The Collaborative ArchitectSoftware Engineer
Task Scope
FocusedBroad
Delegation Depth
LowHigh
Oversight Intensity
LowHigh
Iteration Style
ConvergentIterative
Example profile. Illustrative data.

Research team

Led by UC Santa Barbara and approved by the UC Santa Barbara Institutional Review Board (IRB).

Who we're looking for

You need all three of the following.
  • Regularly use an AI tool (ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, Cursor, or similar) at least a few times a week.
  • Use ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini for at least some of your work.
  • 18 years or older and comfortable reading English.
Start the study

Questions? blepine@ucsb.edu
Participant rights: hsc@research.ucsb.edu · (805) 893-3807