Does Artificial Intelligence Assistance at Work Reduce Employee Satisfaction?

More and more companies are integrating generative artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT to assist employees in their daily tasks. While these technologies often improve productivity, their psychological impact on employees remains less understood. Recent research shows that using ChatGPT as support in a professional setting can decrease job satisfaction. Employees perceive less support from their organization and feel they have fewer opportunities to demonstrate their skills. Additionally, the use of these tools can increase their sense of job insecurity.

The study compares two types of assistance for completing a professional task: help provided by a human colleague and help offered by ChatGPT. The results reveal that employees feel less supported and less valued when receiving assistance from artificial intelligence rather than from a human. Interactions with a colleague include social elements such as tone of voice, eye contact, or encouragement, which are absent in exchanges with a machine. These social cues play a key role in feeling appreciated and secure in one’s job.

Employees assisted by ChatGPT also express greater concern about the stability of their position. This insecurity is partly explained by artificial intelligence’s ability to perform tasks once reserved for humans. Even though these tools are designed to facilitate work, their presence can give the impression that they are gradually replacing human skills.

Assistance from a colleague therefore remains essential for maintaining a high level of job satisfaction. Human interactions create a climate of trust and recognition that fosters professional fulfillment. Companies must thus carefully consider how to integrate these new technologies to avoid harming the well-being of their teams. Balancing innovation and the preservation of human relationships appears to be a major challenge for the future of work.

Origin of Sources

Original Publication

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11846-026-01004-1

Title: Would you rather work with ChatGPT or a human coworker? Exploring the impact of generative AI on job satisfaction

Journal: Review of Managerial Science

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Authors: Dominik Zahs; Lynn Schmodde