i heard our company announce it needed to reduce costs, so the annual party was canceled. instead, management commissioned an ai-generated festive video featuring digital coworkers dancing around an impossible office
we watched the video in a conference room decorated with one paper snowflake. the presenter praised our shared achievements while the vending machine charged full price for snacks
someone asked whether any of the savings would go toward employee bonuses. the answer was vague enough to sound generated itself
the following year the company brought back a modest real gathering. nobody requested the dancing avatars, although the accountant still has the video bookmarked