Use of AI at Work Linked to Binge Drinking

(NewsSpace.com) – Artificial intelligence has become a major point of contention lately, with the emergence of platforms like ChatGPT, which can not only mimic human conversations but also write articles, songs, and code. Goldman Sachs projected that AI would eventually affect 300 million jobs, displacing human workers in favor of automation. Another company, Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., found that it could potentially affect 4.8 million US positions. However, the use of AI is seemingly having a detrimental effect on many, according to a recent study.

An assistant professor at the University of Georgia, Pok Man Tang, initiated a study to determine the effect of artificial intelligence on humans. What it found isn’t all that surprising: those who work alongside AI rather than human employees tend to be lonelier due to the lack of social interaction. However, it can also lead to more destructive behaviors such as binge drinking as well as insomnia. Tang said the technology is sparking waves of “new industrial revolution,” but there are downfalls too, including “potentially damaging mental and physical impacts.”

The study involved examining employees in multiple countries, including the United States, Indonesia, Taiwan, and Malaysia, and the effects were the same — an increase in drinking habits and loneliness. During the course of the study, researchers also found that employees who worked alongside AI were more likely to offer to help their human counterparts, which could be attributed to wanting social interaction.

There has also been a myriad of warnings from experts. The Center for A.I. Safety cautioned that there could be unpredicted outcomes due to its rapid progression, such as the risk of extinction and the tearing apart of the fabric of society. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman echoed those sentiments and said that government regulation “will be critical to mitigate [its] risks.” He also said, “If technology goes wrong, it can go quite wrong,” and that’s something legislators need to be on the lookout for.