Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace: A Revolution Between Risks and Opportunities for Mental Health

English version of L'intelligenza artificiale può nuocere alla salute mentale: anche le aziende devono curarsene - Il Fatto Quotidiano

Imagine an office or workplace where employees spend most of their time interacting with algorithms instead of people. This is not a science fiction scenario, but an increasingly concrete prospect. The massive introduction of AI is profoundly transforming the world of work, generating concerns not only related to employment but, in particular, to the psychosocial well-being of workers.

Today, the public debate on artificial intelligence often focuses on the issue of replacing human labor, and therefore on job losses. Our history, however, teaches us that every major technological innovation has brought significant transformations in the way we work, and not always in a negative sense.

Consider historical moments of radical change, such as the invention of writing, the steam engine, or more recently, the calculator. When these tools were introduced, many feared they would make people less intelligent or cause job losses in various sectors. The invention of writing, for example, raised fears about the future of learning and memory, concerns already expressed by Plato in his dialogues. The same goes for the calculator, which many feared would reduce people's calculation abilities, but which ultimately proved to be a useful tool, while not replacing the need for basic mathematical understanding.

These historical examples teach us that technology, if well managed, can enrich our capabilities and offer new opportunities. However, with artificial intelligence, a new challenge emerges: beyond the risks to employment, there are risks related to the psychological and social sphere that we cannot ignore.

If we imagine a future where AI becomes an increasingly frequent interlocutor, there is a risk that human interactions, fundamental for growth and learning, will be further reduced. Workers might get used to dealing primarily with machines, thus losing opportunities for exchange, discussion, and even emotional confrontation with colleagues.

These types of interactions, even when they include errors or misunderstandings, represent crucial moments of learning and skill development. The feeling of mastering the information provided by AI could give the illusion of greater efficiency, but risks reducing the ability to learn in a deep and critical way. Moreover, important empathic abilities, which arise from confrontation with others and the resulting emotional processing, could be eroded.

Another risk related to the massive introduction of AI is the so-called "technostress." The intensive use of advanced technologies and the continuous monitoring of work processes, made possible by AI, can increase pressure on workers. Furthermore, the continuous delegation of tasks and decisions to artificial intelligence could induce a sense of inadequacy in workers, who might feel increasingly dependent on machines to solve problems.

A crucial aspect of AI use is its impact on learning and knowledge management. The Internet has already predisposed us to a type of "horizontal" learning, where it's easy to access large amounts of information quickly, but often without the time or motivation to really delve into the content. With the introduction of AI, the risk is that this type of learning becomes the norm: culture and knowledge could be reduced to a set of easily accessible data, but lacking context and critical understanding. This does not mean possessing competence.

The real danger, therefore, is not only that AI can replace workers, but that it can push towards a flattening of knowledge, where ease of access to information replaces the depth and quality of knowledge. Faced with this transformation, it will be fundamental for companies to reconsider training strategies and skills development, avoiding AI becoming an easy shortcut to solve problems, but promoting more aware and critical learning.

To mitigate the described risks, it is essential that companies pay increasing attention to mental health and psychological well-being of workers. Today, many organizations are questioning how to increase employee engagement and sense of purpose, and this is the ideal time to reconsider the impact of AI on health and safety in the workplace. The assessment of psychosocial risks must become an absolute priority, as only in this way will it be possible to exploit the advantages of AI without jeopardizing the well-being of workers.

The introduction of artificial intelligence represents one of the most complex and radical challenges of our time. Like every technological revolution, it involves both opportunities and risks. On one hand, AI can become a powerful tool to improve efficiency and promote innovation, but on the other, without careful management, it could turn into a threat to the psychological and social well-being of workers. Companies have the responsibility to balance these two sides of the coin, promoting a conscious use of AI and placing the mental health of employees at the center of the debate.