The new phenomenon of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) colleagues is emerging as investments in this technology continue apace, with money spent growing 18.7% in 2024, according to Stanford University.
Yet research shows this shift towards robotic teammates means people in the workplace are increasingly feeling disconnected from each other, with those who spend significant time talking with chatbots becoming especially lonely.
Private investments in GenAI solutions amounted to nearly $34 billion in 2024, with adoption rising to match, Stanford University’s research indicates. As investment increases, so too does adoption, with 78% of companies surveyed by cloud-based human capital management solutions company ADP Research saying they used AI in 2024.
This is a 55% increase from the year before and a rate that outpaces the adoption of the internet in the early 2000s, says ADP.
AI’s rapid adoption comes at a human cost. ADP’s study, based on responses from more than 30 000 respondents in the US, found that people feel detached from other sentient beings in the office because of AI, even though this nascent technology aids in levels of engagement, motivation and commitment to work.
Just more than 40% of respondents in ADP’s survey said they used GenAI frequently at work, with heavy users working in technology or information services.
Emotional cost
Other studies point to the same pattern. The Upwork Research Institute released a study in the middle of last year showing many workers are reporting a 40% boost in productivity with AI, but at a significant emotional and relational cost. This is based on a global survey of 2 500 workers.
A paper published this month on ScienceDirect notes that the extent of GenAI adoption influences all three dimensions of wellbeing – emotional, social and cognitive aspects – with team cohesion acting as a mediating factor.
AI, the ScienceDirect authors say, “may help to improve the working climate, even if this may lead employees to feel less empowered in their cognitive work, reducing cognitive well-being and increasing the fear of losing control of their work”.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, meanwhile, pointed to a worrying trend that longer daily chatbot use, such as having personal conversations with GenAI, is associated with heightened loneliness, emotional dependence, problematic use and reduced socialisation.
A new connection
Increased uptake of GenAI in the office means the workforce is relearning the relationship between people and technology, says Maria Black, president and CEO of ADP.
“Rather than a tool to be used, AI plays the role of a true teammate, capable of complex workflows, aided decision-making and incredible adaptability,” Black writes in a blog published to coincide with the World Economic Forum, happening in Davos this week.
This shift is reflected in Upwork’s research, which showed that AI is moving from being a tool to a teammate. Black adds: “AI has become a true teammate in the modern workforce, solving real problems alongside the worker.”
‘Human moments’
Yet, the use of AI in an office environment means people run the risk of losing out on real-life interactions. ADP’s research points to the fact that people crave connection.
“The workplace is full of human moments, conversations and interactions that make us feel like we belong. We create communities of shared experience, and if we aren’t careful, some of that could get lost as workflows are automated or replaced by AI,” cautions Black.
Black adds that AI’s ability to do the mundane leaves people feeling unsatisfied. She explains that, because AI removes routine, quick-win tasks, many people are left with work that takes longer and is harder to quantify.
As a result, she says, the frequent, tangible signs of progress that once made work feel worthwhile are disappearing.
Because people feel less recognised for the work they do, even where the impact of what they achieve is higher, there’s a need to rethink how organisations track and acknowledge contribution when value is created over time and isn’t easily counted, notes Black.
Working with AI
To mitigate the risk of isolation, companies must amplify human creativity and connection, while keeping learning aligned with technology, Black says. “If we succeed in this commitment, we will help build an AI-powered workforce and a future we all want to live in.”
As AI advances, organisations must upskill and reskill their workforce, starting from the top down. Black notes that leaders need more than tool training – they must adopt a mindset that drives adoption, fosters connection, and builds a culture that truly learns out loud through continuous learning, mentorship and leadership programmes.
The ScienceDirect paper suggests that leaders first work on improving team cohesion and promoting an environment that is supportive of AI before implementing this emerging technology.
“This is necessary to create a context that supports the social and emotional dimensions of employee well-being but also a factor to counter the potentially negative effects that adopting GenAI may have on cognitive well-being,” the authors write.
“We are at a pivotal point in building an AI-powered workforce for the future of work… The question to answer here isn’t just how do we use AI? It’s how do we use AI without losing us?” writes Black.
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