A paper published by the American Psychological Association found that employees who use AI software at work to complete tasks are more likely to feel lonely, which can lead to insomnia and alcohol consumption.
The researchers hypothesized that ML tools could make workers more socially isolated if they spent more time on the computer and less time interacting with colleagues. For example, chatbots can mimic human communication, but it is usually meaningless and users do not receive feedback related to their conversations with others.
As AI continues to expand, we need to act now to mitigate its potential negative impacts
To confirm this idea, scholars focused on loneliness-related behaviors, such as poor sleep quality and alcohol consumption, the two of which are directly related. They surveyed 794 workers in the United States, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Malaysia who use AI in their daily work. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire detailing their interactions with the AI and to report their behavior and feelings over time.
“Rapid advancements in AI systems are sparking a new industrial revolution, reshaping the workplace with many benefits, but also some unknown dangers, including adverse mental and physical consequences for employees. said Pok Man Tan, lead author of the paper. [PDF] said an assistant professor of business administration at the University of Georgia on Monday.
“Humans are social animals, and separating jobs with AI systems can have a negative impact on employees’ personal lives.”
Tang and his co-authors found that participants who wanted social connections with others and had a stronger sense of belonging at work were more likely to be influenced by AI. They tended to be more cooperative and helpful to their colleagues and reported higher levels of insomnia and alcohol consumption after work. These behaviors were also more likely to be seen in employees who spent a lot of time using AI at work.
The correlations between loneliness and insomnia and alcohol consumption varied, with 126 Indonesian workers for example showing less strong correlations than 214 US workers. Correlation does not imply causation, so the results should be taken with a grain of salt. Various factors can influence a participant’s sleep and drinking habits, and it’s hard to hold AI accountable.
Still, the team believes employers should consider this when introducing new technology into the workplace. You should consider ways to limit the amount of time your employee spends using her AI, and plan for people-to-people interactions. Perhaps decision-making and strategy-making should be human-driven group activities, while software automates repetitive single-person tasks, Tan suggested.
“Mindfulness programs and other positive interventions can also help reduce feelings of loneliness,” Tan says. “As AI continues to expand, we need to act now to mitigate potential negative impacts on those who use these systems.”
register reached out to Tan for further comment. ®
