AI offers employees emotional support – but is it a valuable tool or a threat to privacy?

As artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT become increasingly popular for people seeking personal therapy and emotional support, the dangers this can pose, particularly for young people, have made numerous headlines. What hasn’t received as much attention is employers’ use of generative AI to assess employees’ mental well-being and provide emotional support in the workplace.

Since the pandemic-induced global shift to remote work, industries such as healthcare, human resources, and customer service have seen an increase in the number of employers using AI-powered systems designed to analyze employees’ emotional states, identify emotionally distressed individuals, and provide them with emotional support.

This new frontier goes far beyond the use of general chat tools or individual therapy apps for psychological support. As researchers studying how AI impacts emotions and relationships in the workplace, we address critical questions…