AI at work: when “virtual colleagues” transform human relationships

Published in the Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance, the study Digital humans and employee co-worker exchanges: effects on job insecurity, job engagement and counterproductive work behavior explores the impact of these “digital humans” on employees’ emotions, workplace relationships and behaviours.

Fear at the heart of employees’ reactions to AI

Through two experimental studies, the researchers compared reactions when AI was presented as a tool designed to support employees or as a potential replacement for them.

The findings highlight the central role of fear. Even when AI can improve performance, it may still be perceived as a threat. This fear can contribute to greater job insecurity, lower work engagement and increased counterproductive work behaviour.

The study also shows that interactions with AI can affect relationships between colleagues: increased interaction with AI tends to reduce interactions between employees.

Thinking about AI beyond technology

This research highlights that integrating AI into organisations is not only a matter of technology and productivity. Emotions, human relationships and the way AI is introduced to employees also play an important role.

For companies, these findings highlight the importance of providing appropriate support and communication when integrating AI into teams.

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