The recent months have seen a lot of discussion about the changes that artificial intelligence is making to the workforce. There’s no denying that AI is already having a significant impact on people’s lives, even though we haven’t yet seen whether it will be the existential threat that some claim it to be.
And it turns out that even if AI doesn’t take your job, it could still give you a lot of issues.
In a study that was published on Monday, an international team of researchers discovered that employees who frequently engaged with AI for their employment were more likely to experience loneliness, insomnia, and higher rates of drinking than those who didn’t. This, according to the authors, emphasizes how social connection, both at work and outside of it, is innately important to humans.
According to Pok Man Tang, an assistant professor of management at the University of Georgia and the study’s lead author, the quick development of AI systems is igniting a new industrial revolution that is reshaping the workplace with many positive effects but also some unanticipated dangers, including potentially harmful mental and physical effects for employees.
The study’s conclusions were drawn from four trials that were carried out in the United States, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Malaysia. In one experiment, 126 real estate professionals from an Indonesian property management company were split into two groups; one was ordered to refrain from using artificial intelligence (AI) for three days straight, while the other was urged to use it as much as possible. The other group noted higher incidence of isolation and sleeplessness.
A set of 166 engineers who worked for a biomedical company were divided up similarly in another experiment conducted in Taiwan. Additionally, loneliness and sleepiness were more prevalent among employees who interacted with AI systems more frequently. Alarmingly, they also revealed rising rates of drinking alcohol after work.
Curiously, the researchers discovered that the outcomes weren’t necessarily unfavourable. People who engaged with AI more frequently were said to be considerably more helpful to their coworkers and would actively look for ways to assist them in their work. The authors point out, however, that this might just be an outcome of this group’s greater demand for social engagement.
Humans are social creatures, so Tang highlighted that isolated work with AI systems could negatively impact employees’ personal lives.
The study, according to its authors, should assist guide the creation of future AI systems that have more human-like characteristics, such as human voices. To at least make it seem a little less like you’re interacting with a soulless robot, this may emulate human social interactions.
The amount of time that employees spend interacting with AI systems should be kept to a minimum by employers, who should put an emphasis on human social connection and teamwork. Bots should generally be used for repetitive jobs that don’t call for much originality or in-depth thought.
AI will continue to develop, so we must take action now to mitigate any potential negative consequences on those who use these systems, according to Tang.
