Heavy use of AI at work may cause insomnia, loneliness, and alcoholism- APA study

Before the rave about Artificial Intelligence (AI), the world cared solely about social media and how it made life better. The advent of social networking sites enabled people to connect with friends, make new ones regardless of distance, and air thoughts on different issues. Traditional entities like newspapers, banks, and even law enforcement created social media handles because it has proven to be a more effective way to share information. 

However, the increased use of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram poses unprecedented risks to users. A study found that the more time people spend on social networking platforms, the higher their chances of experiencing depression and loneliness. 

Today, Artificial Intelligence is dominating headlines with companies and individuals gravitating to leveraging AI-driven tools for improved efficiency.  Although conversations about its takeover are likely to persist for a few more years, its potential benefits can’t be downplayed. But what about the downsides? 

Choosing to focus on more realistic theories like decreased mental well-being, a study published by the American Psychological Association (APA) argues that “Employees who frequently interact with artificial intelligence systems are more likely to experience loneliness that can lead to insomnia and increased after-work drinking.” That sounds like the drawbacks of social media, right?

In a world rife with innovative technologies like chatbots and voice assistants, many organizations are integrating Artificial Intelligence software into their workflows. While fears of automation still exist among workers, augmentation seems to be the new trend among companies. 

For clarity, automation is the process whereby machines, having mastered a worker’s tasks, are introduced to the workplace as a replacement. Augmentation is a friendlier approach whereby humans and machines collaborate on projects for improved efficiency. A famous example is the writing assistant  – Grammarly.  

Read also: Why Africa has no other choice but to embrace Artificial Intelligence

Exploring the risks of constant AI software usage in the workplace 

The research is based on the premise that frequent interactions with Artificial Intelligence software, instead of coworkers, will cause employees to become lonely and consume alcohol often. “This increased coupling of employees and AI portends a shift toward more of an “asocial system,” wherein people may feel socially disconnected at work,” writes Pok Man Tang – one of the researchers. 

Interestingly, Tang previously worked in an investment bank and interacted heavily with AI systems. His former career motivated him to partake in this investigation. Although the study was performed in four countries – the U.S., Taiwan, Indonesia, and Malaysia – the results were identical.  

Aside from health problems like depression and insomnia, the report also noted that prolonged teamwork between workers and Artificial Intelligence-powered systems yielded some potential benefits. For instance, some employees demonstrated an increased need to help colleagues.  

However, the report argues this positive attitude stems from the apparent lack of social contact. 

“The studies found that participants with higher levels of attachment anxiety—the tendency to feel insecure and worried about social connections—responded more strongly to working on AI systems with both positive reactions, such as helping others, and negative ones, such as loneliness and insomnia,” the report states. 

Let us place the Taiwan experiment in focus. It involved 166 engineers working in a biomedical company. For three weeks, they responded to survey questions regarding the following concepts: loneliness, attachment anxiety, and sense of belonging. The engineers’ relatives also monitored their rate of after-work drinking and insomnia attacks. 

While the coworkers said the test subjects displayed some helping behaviors despite being paired with Artificial Intelligence technologies, the relatives noted an increase in alcohol consumption. 

For Indonesia, the assessment of 126 real estate consultants took a different approach. 63 of the test subjects were asked to aggressively use Artificial Intelligence systems for three days while the other half were required to abstain from AI usage. The researchers say the results “were similar to the previous experiment, except there was no association between the frequency of AI use and after-work alcohol consumption.” 

The outcome of the Malaysia and U.S. experiments also indicate a connection between heavy Artificial Intelligence usage and declining mental wellness.  

What companies can do 

Although this study doesn’t declare that the repeated use of Artificial Intelligence technologies will cause insomnia or loneliness, it doesn’t rule out the possibility either. As such, companies must endeavor to strike a healthy balance. 

Let us consider computer vision syndrome. This is a condition whereby a person suffers constant headaches because they stare at the screen often. Aside from headaches, it could cause the person to be always tired and sleep less. The solution isn’t to abandon computers but to observe the 20-20-20 rule which entails staring away from that screen for 20 seconds for every 20 minutes spent on the screen. 

How does this analogy work for Artificial Intelligence usage? Instead of discontinuing collaborations between humans and AI because of the potential dangers, companies can approach the matter from a different angle. Tang prescribes that employers should reduce “the frequency of work with AI systems and offer opportunities for employees to socialize.” 

He adds that AI systems can be equipped with social characteristics like a human-like voice. He believes this will help with interactions and reduce the chances of workers feeling lonely on the job. This article supports the idea, saying “AI that supplements relationships with helpful interactions, instead of replacing them entirely, will make the biggest difference for lonely people of all ages, seniors included.” 

Although Tang’s proposal seems well-intended, humanizing a machine indirectly solidifies the claims of AI seizing world power someday. It isn’t a comfortable thought.