{
  "id": 19500554,
  "title": "Why turning to AI for workplace support is backfiring",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/11/why-turning-to-ai-for-workplace-support-is-backfiring",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-11-11T13:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Fast Company",
    "slug": "fast-company",
    "url": "https://www.fastcompany.com/91638563/why-turning-to-ai-for-workplace-support-is-backfiring"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The pursuit of a more seamless workday through artificial intelligence (AI) has led to unexpected consequences, according to recent research. While AI promises efficiency, it may be undermining the very social connections that foster team success. A study by Workday, the Human Connection Workplace Index, revealed that 14% of employees and 20% of Gen Z workers experienced loneliness or isolation at work in the past year. Organizational psychologist Constance Hadley, PhD, founder of the Institute for Life at Work, delved deeper into the issue. She found that while AI is often perceived as empathetic and supportive, it can paradoxically lead to feelings of loneliness. A study in Harvard Business Review showed that 75% of AI users turned to the technology for career coaching and friendship, yet 50% reported increased loneliness on the job. Hadley's research identified four key relational disruptions when AI replaces human collaboration. First, downsizing during restructuring can lead to increased isolation. Second, social stamina atrophy occurs when constant interaction with AI makes human conversation seem daunting. Third, relying on AI for answers can eliminate opportunities for trust and reciprocity. Lastly, an \"existential loneliness\" may arise from confiding in an artificial program. Introverts, paradoxically, may feel lonelier than extroverts, even if they prefer working alone. Employees desire simple human interactions like brief chit-chat, communal lunches, and team outings. Leaders must prioritize human-led functions like onboarding, mentoring, and conflict resolution to counteract loneliness. Ignoring these human needs can have severe consequences, with WHO estimating 100 deaths per hour due to loneliness. Leaders who invest in human connections may see higher job satisfaction, positive attitudes toward AI, increased productivity, and improved employee retention.",
  "summary": "We’ve all been on a quest to make our workdays a little easier. For years, we’ve been adopting new tools, automating tedious tasks, and stripping away the barriers that slow us down. With AI , we’re closer to that frictionless day than ever before. Yet, in our rush to make work as smooth as possible (which, don’t get me wrong, I highly value), might we risk dissolving the social fabric that helps…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}