I recently read an article by Lara Ewen for HRDIVE that many workers find interacting with AI is easier than with a human. This makes sense, especially in organizations where psychological safety is low and employees are hesitant to share views with colleagues for fear of being judged. Furthermore, some people are shy and can be reluctant to speak up and ask questions. Having an AI teammate can be helpful for them as they can use it to talk through ideas without holding back due to social anxiety. However, AI is a two-edged sword. What is gains us in efficiency and comfort can hurt our mental health as AI is increasing social isolation for those reluctant to interact with humans, especially young people who grew up with smart phones.
History of Technology
The modern history of technology is one of increasing social isolation. The telephone allowed remote communication that enabled people to communicate more easily, but at the cost of less face-to-face interaction. Instead of traveling to someone’s location, you could stay in your home and talk electronically. The advent of smart phones expanded the ability to communicate remotely, allowing easy sharing of image and text that often replaced face-to-face connection. Social media added to the disconnect where instead of talking to friends, we merely post messages that they can “like”. All of these technologies allowed electronic communication among people, but they cannot substitute for breathing the same air.
I once read about an old marketing experiment in a store where cashiers gave change to customers. The manipulation was whether the cashier made incidental contact with the customer’s hand when they gave them change. The researchers found that the customers gave higher favorability ratings when physical contact was made. Even a seemingly accidental touch has an impact. There is a reason we trade handshakes and hugs with family and friends.
AI Is Increasing Social Isolation
AI is an amazing tool that is useful for work. The way it was designed, it mimics conversation. Ask it a question, and it returns a conversational answer that invites a conversational reply. This makes it more natural to use when you want to get work done. However, it is not meant to be a substitute for a human conversation. When people substitute AI connections for human connections it can lead to feelings of social isolation and loneliness. Organizations can play a role in encouraging employees to connect with one another. One example is a partnership between Tampa General Hospital and Krew Social, a platform designed to connect people. Employees of the hospital can download an app that enables them to find other employees who want to do the same activity. Suppose someone likes pickle ball, but doesn’t have anyone to play with? They can use the app to find someone who lives nearby and wants to play.
Today there is growing awareness that face-to-face communication is necessary for people’s well-being. There is a danger that AI will result in even less human contact, which would be unfortunate because AI is increasing social isolation in a way that is harmful to mental health.
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