Calling in sick is usually a routine workplace interaction. You send a message, your manager replies, and the conversation ends there. For one woman, however, a standard leave approval email turned into an internet talking point for a completely different reason.
The employee recently shared a screenshot of an email she received from her boss, and while the message itself seemed perfectly normal, one unexpected line at the very end caught everyone's eye. The post quickly spread across social media, with many users convinced they knew exactly how that extra sentence ended up there.
A leave approval email with an unexpected twist
The woman posted the screenshot on X, formerly Twitter, alongside the caption: "my boss sent me this and the last line..."
The email appeared to be a response to her informing her employer that she was feeling unwell. The subject line read, "Re: Feeling sick."
The body of the message was polite and straightforward.
"Hi, Thanks for letting me know. Yes, it's absolutely fine to take a day of paid leave tomorrow—please take the time you need to rest and recover. I hope you feel better soon. Best."
Nothing unusual there.
But beneath the sign-off and signature sat another line that immediately stood out.
"Would you like a slightly more casual or more formal version?"
That single sentence was enough to send social media users into detective mode.
Why the internet thinks AI wrote it
Many commenters quickly pointed out that the final line looked strikingly similar to the suggestions often generated by AI chatbots after drafting a message.
The theory was simple: the boss may have used an AI tool to write the email, copied the response and accidentally included one of the chatbot's follow-up prompts without noticing.
Whether that actually happened remains unclear, but the possibility was enough to fuel a flood of jokes and reactions online.
The post soon became less about sick leave and more about how frequently artificial intelligence is now being used for everyday workplace communication.
Social media has plenty to say
As the screenshot circulated, users shared a mix of amusement, criticism and reluctant acceptance.
One person questioned how the mistake could have slipped through, writing, "do they just not read what they're sending?"
Others argued that using AI for workplace emails is hardly unusual anymore.
"Using AI to wrote mails today is like using spellcheck. Aren't you kids aware of this?" one user commented.
Another took a practical view of the situation, writing, "Boss is too busy for this type of things."
Some people focused less on the possible AI involvement and more on the email itself.
"Say whatever you want, but it's well written," one commenter observed.
Others were far more convinced that artificial intelligence was responsible.
"Lmao AI generated," one user wrote.
Another simply stated, "It's definitely ChatGPT."
The jokes continued from there.
One person quipped, "paid leave approved by ChatGPT."
Not everyone found the situation amusing, though. A more sceptical commenter suggested, "take an exit from the company as soon as possible."
Regardless of whether the email was actually drafted with AI assistance, the screenshot struck a nerve because it reflected something many office workers are increasingly noticing. As AI tools become more common in everyday communication, the occasional forgotten prompt or chatbot suggestion is becoming a telltale sign that technology may have had a helping hand.
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