Discussions about artificial intelligence and robotics often focus on AI’s role as a tool that enhances our existing skills and increases our productivity. Whether in movies, popular culture, or your own Alexa, artificial intelligence and robotics are presented as an assistant that works for you.
As artificial intelligence gets smarter, we dream of the tasks it will soon undertake on our behalf. With every robotic thumb made, we revel in the vision of machines meeting our every need.
We have not yet fully realized that artificial intelligence and robotics can be much more than this. One day they may be equal and even reflect our flaws back to us.
The integration of artificial intelligence and robotics into the workplace is already revolutionizing team dynamics. What was once just a ‘team’ is quickly becoming a team team consisting only of people or a AI-powered team.
Teams consisting only of people. Are you ready?
We conducted a study aimed at investigating the persistence of self-serving bias in the face of objective performance feedback. As economic researchers, these insights are crucial to developing decision-making models that can (and do) inform policy and practice.
Ultimately, we aimed to help explain and address the ways in which people have overly positive self-views, which influence risk taking, financial decisions, career and occupational choices, and team dynamics, among other things.
Specifically, we examined how these biases emerge in teams composed solely of humans, but also how this changes when workers are paired with robotics (a simple program with different performance probabilities).
We found that employees are more likely to distort their beliefs to feel better about themselves and their jobs when it comes to other people’s actions. In these scenarios, there is more room for them to see things in a way that makes them look good.
Our results also showed that these employees had a low propensity to replace teammates; which would help them learn more about their true skills.
However, when in a team with robotics, our results showed that the performance feedback provided to these human-robot collaborations led to more accurate assessments of their own abilities compared to human-only teams.
In examining why this might be, we discovered that individuals are less likely to distort their beliefs about their abilities when working with robotics. This reduction in overconfidence helps them make more accurate assessments of their own and their robot teammates’ performance, helping them make more accurate assessments.
Rev(AI)talised Performance
Participants in our study were more likely to accurately revise their initial performance estimates when collaborating with a robot. Integrating robotics into team environments may reduce biased responses to objective performance feedback, which we have shown to be present in human-only teams.
This enhanced objectivity allows us to make more informed decisions regarding the delegation of work tasks and individual roles, ultimately leading to more effective and efficient teams.
More generally, our study highlights the importance of fostering a culture of openness to feedback.
In environments where feedback is valued, employees are more likely to participate critically and constructively in performance evaluations. But with tight budgets, increased pressures and loftier goals, this is often easier said than done.
Managers should also consider reorganizing teams periodically to gain a more comprehensive understanding of individual strengths and weaknesses.
Accurate performance evaluations are crucial for identifying areas where employees can improve and recognizing those who consistently perform well.
By encouraging team members to rotate more frequently and effectively, managers can more easily identify recurring issues while ensuring the right people are collaborating.
AI colleague?
How far are we from our favorite colleague becoming an artificial intelligence? Or when teams are made up of AIs and managed by a single human? With continued rapid progress, this idea is not far off.
As companies invest more in AI, we may soon be working together with our AI colleagues more frequently, and that’s why understanding the long-term effects of human-robot collaboration on team dynamics and performance is crucial.
For businesses, this means embracing AI not just as an automation tool, but as a valuable partner in fostering a more productive work environment where employees can learn more from the performance feedback they receive.
After all, compared to working with a human partner, the perceived trustworthiness of AI makes it harder to shift blame and increases the likelihood of self-evaluation when faced with bad outcomes.
Artificial intelligence will change the way teams work, making human-AI teams an essential part of the workplace of the future.
The day when artificial intelligence will become important team members is very soon; It is not just an assistant; It can be a conduit for more accurate assessments, reduced biases, and improved performance. A colleague who is available 24/7, processes huge amounts of data, reveals your objective side, and does not let you down…
Are you ready to accept AI as your next colleague?
Dr Leonie Gerhards is Lecturer in Economics at King’s Business School, King’s College London, Dr Alexander Coutts is Assistant Professor of Economics at Schulich Business School, University of York, and Dr Zahra Murad is Senior Lecturer in Economics, School of Accounting. Finance and Finance at the University of Portsmouth.
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