Loneliness due to robots?

Today, artificial intelligence (AI) is making its way into various aspects of our lives: it’s widely used in marketing, design, finance, and manufacturing, making work easier for many. However, recent studies have revealed that workers dealing with AI are suffering from insomnia, prone to loneliness, and are not averse to having a drink or two after work.

The disruptive impact on personal lives due to working with AI has been established by researchers at the University of Georgia, who conducted four experiments in the U.S., Taiwan, Indonesia, and Malaysia, as reported by the Daily Mail. For instance, in one study, 166 engineers from a Taiwanese biomedical company who worked with AI systems were surveyed over three weeks. The researchers were interested in the workers’ feelings of loneliness, attachment anxiety, and sense of belonging.

Moreover, colleagues of the participants evaluated individual workers based on their helpful behaviors, while family members reported on insomnia and alcohol consumption after work. It turned out that engineers who frequently work with AI are more likely to reach for a drink after hours, struggle with falling asleep, and experience feelings of loneliness. However, these same workers are also more inclined to offer help to their colleagues: according to the researchers, this response may stem from a need for social interaction.

Other similar experiments involving workers from a real estate management company and a tech corporation conducted in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the U.S. yielded comparable results.

The lead researcher, Pok Man Tan, previously worked in an investment bank and utilized AI systems in his job, making this issue both familiar and intriguing to him. “The rapid development of artificial intelligence systems is causing a new industrial revolution that is transforming the workplace, providing many benefits but also some yet-to-be-explored dangers, including potentially harmful mental and physical effects on workers,” says Pok Man Tan. “Humans are social beings, so isolation from colleagues while working with AI systems can have detrimental side effects on employees’ personal lives.”

So, what can be done? After all, technological advancement is unstoppable. Researchers recommend that developers of AI technologies in the future equip them with various options to simulate human interaction—such as using a human voice. Additionally, employers should limit the time workers spend interacting with AI systems and ensure they have opportunities to communicate with their colleagues.