Fear of Artificial Intelligence Negatively Affects Employee Workplace Behavior
According to a new study led by Washington State University, employees who fear their professions will be taken over by artificial intelligence exhibit negative behaviors in the workplace.
A new study conducted by Washington State University researchers examining the threat of artificial intelligence to employee attitudes revealed that individuals who think their jobs are in danger due to artificial intelligence become unproductive in the workplace and tend toward moral disengagement.
Details and Scope of the Research
Published in the journal Occupational Health Science, the new study evaluated the potential impacts of artificial intelligence on working life and how these reflect on employee attitudes across 18 different sectors.
Sectoral Differences and Artificial Intelligence Exposure
Researchers used worker surveys and the AI Industry Exposure index to examine the effects of occupational insecurity and sector-level artificial intelligence exposure. While the finance and insurance sectors had the highest exposure, agriculture and forestry were the least exposed fields.
Emergence of Negative Behaviors
It was determined that employees concerned about their futures are more prone to moral disengagement and exhibiting productivity-reducing behaviors such as browsing the internet or arriving late to work.
Precautions to be Taken by Employers
Experts warned employers by pointing out that these negative effects become more pronounced especially in sectors heavily impacted by artificial intelligence transformation, such as insurance and finance.