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What if companies used technologies to identify whether their employees are angry, stressed, or relaxed ? This concept called artificial emotion intelligence (EAI) has already existed for many years and appeared in the world of work. These tools are used in particular in the context of recruiting candidates, but also to monitor employees in the execution of their missions.
In a fascinating article, Business Insiderwas interested in these strategies. Our colleague cites in particular the case of customer service employees of a company. They receive feedback in real time from the AI which suggests the right tone to adopt towards their interlocutor. However, researchers were able to observe that these workers were disconcerted by these negative comments. They also feared that this tool would end up getting them in trouble if it didn't provide enough positive feedback.
Monitoring is counterproductive
Another example provided by the information site: a company that produces high-end desktops for large companies like Nvidia and LinkedIn. Their chairs are equipped with biosensors that can measure people's heart rate, heart rate variability, breathing rate and nervousness. This tool is designed to measure well-being and the data is collected anonymously to establish a general diagnosis.
Some do not believe this version, like Sarah Myers West, executive director of the AI Now Institute. Quoted by Business Insider, she explains: “If you work with biometrics and emotion recognition, you are dealing with data that is identifiable by nature. There are so many data streams being collected that the anonymization argument doesn't hold up.”
Note that the EAI, which seems to be a market with a bright future, is sometimes contested in its effectiveness. This technology is in fact based on the work of the American psychologist, Paul Ekman. According to him, human emotions are revealed by universal facial expressions. But this research has recently been refuted by several studies, so that there is no consensus.
Regardless, and more generally speaking, surveillance devices at work are a terrible idea. According to a study conducted by David Welsh, a professor at Arizona State University, policing tends to encourage employees to break the rules. Scientists have even noted unauthorized breaks, deliberately slower work, or even more frequent theft of equipment, among the most scrutinized workers.
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