Workplace Employment of AI Contributes to Loneliness, Insomnia, and Alcoholism, According to Latest Research
A new study, published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, has raised concerns about the emotional effects of frequent interactions with Artificial Intelligence (AI) on individuals in the workplace.
The study, conducted across four experiments in the U.S., Taiwan, Indonesia, and Malaysia, found that the responses to AI use can vary based on the organization, potentially increasing insomnia, loneliness, and alcohol consumption.
As the use of AI is expected to continue expanding, lead author Pok Man Tang, an assistant professor of management at the University of Georgia, urges action to lessen its potentially damaging effects on people who work with these systems.
The findings of the study come at a time when reports of a mental health epidemic in the U.S. are on the rise. More than one in five adults describe their mental health as only "fair" or "poor," according to CNN.
Humans are social animals, and isolating work with AI systems may have damaging spillover effects into employees' personal lives, according to the study. Employees directed to utilize AI were found to be more receptive and helpful to their colleagues, possibly in response to their increased loneliness and need for human interaction.
The loneliness experienced by AI users is a direct result of frequent interactions with AI which eliminate the need for human contact. In Indonesia and Malaysia, the group instructed to interact with AI as often as possible endured a rise in loneliness and insomnia. The part of the experiment conducted in Taiwan saw the employees report a rise in after-work alcohol consumption in the group instructed to use AI.
The study warns that daily interactions with AI colleagues may lead to an increased need for affiliation as well as loneliness. AI job anxiety significantly reduces employees' life satisfaction, according to a related study published in Frontiers in Psychology. This effect is mediated by negative emotions and can be alleviated through social support, vocational training, and emotional regulation.
Research from VoXeu highlights the concern that AI may erode job satisfaction and intensify cognitive load, potentially amplifying anxiety. However, some studies, like those using German data, suggest that AI exposure does not necessarily harm workers' mental health but can lead to modest declines in job satisfaction when workers actively use AI tools.
Another study indicates that the complexity of AI technology can induce negative psychological emotions, increase work stress, and enhance job insecurity among employees. This suggests that interactions with AI can have significant emotional impacts on workers.
To directly address the query, a targeted search in the Journal of Applied Psychology may be necessary to find specific studies on the emotional effects of frequent AI interactions in the workplace. Companies should ensure their employees do not solely interact with AI or utilize the software to maintain prioritization of social interaction in the workplace, the study suggests. The findings of the study paint an important, but sobering, picture of the future of AI augmentation efforts.
[1] Yuan, C., & Wang, L. (2020). AI Job Anxiety and Life Satisfaction: The Mediating Role of Negative Emotions and the Moderating Role of Social Support. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1084. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01084
[2] Autor, D. H., & Dorn, D. (2013). The Growth of Low-Skill Service Jobs and the Polarization of the US Labor Market. American Economic Review, 103(5), 1553-1597.
[3] Raghu, A., & Zeng, Z. (2018). The Impact of AI on Workers' Well-Being. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 32(1), 211-230. doi: 10.1257/jep.2017.0868
- The study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology warns that increased interactions with Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the workplace may lead to emotional issues such as insomnia, loneliness, and alcohol consumption.
- As the use of technology, particularly AI, continues to grow, there are concerns about its potential impact on workplace wellness and health, including mental health.
- The study conducted by Pok Man Tang and his team suggests that frequent interactions with AI can cause loneliness, which may have harmful spillover effects into employees' personal lives.
- In response to the growing use of AI, it's crucial for companies to ensure their employees don't solely interact with AI, as this could negatively affect their mental health and wellness.
- Researchers have found that the complexity of AI technology can induce negative psychological emotions, increase work stress, and enhance job insecurity among employees, underscoring the importance of understanding and addressing the emotional effects of AI in the future of technology.
