Artificial intelligence: Companies monitor their employees

Many large companies — such as Starbucks or Walmart — use artificial intelligence to monitor communications between their employees to prevent inappropriate behavior, but some fear a loss of privacy.

Awareness of this type of surveillance is not new. For seven years, it has integrated artificial intelligence into professional communication software such as Slack, Zoom and Microsoft Teams, CNN reported Monday.

With this process, the artificial intelligence examines the anonymized data. It should identify any issues, from bullying to cyberattack, that are reported to human resources or information technology for further review.

According to David Johnson, principal analyst at Forrester Research, while the use of artificial intelligence is new, monitoring employee conversations may not be so new.

“Monitoring employee communications is not new, but the increasing sophistication of analysis is made possible by ongoing advances in AI,” he explained to American media.

Such practice especially affects the behavior and morale of the workers. So, according to a recent study by Qualtrics, which uses this technology to filter employee engagement surveys, nearly 46% of workers find its use “terrifying.”

“Trust is lost in waves and regained in drops, so mistakes in the initial application of technology can have long-term consequences for employee confidence,” Johnson points out.

“The use of this technology requires caution and discernment,” he told CNN.