AI is replacing colleagues – but at what cost?

If we let AI replace our relationships, we risk losing something far more valuable than time, writes Amanda Gordon.

Artificial intelligence has revolutionised the workplace – streamlining tasks, improving efficiencies, and giving rise to new levels of productivity. But amid all the tech hype, a quieter, more human crisis is brewing. AI isn’t just changing our work – it’s changing our colleagues and challenging our sense of belonging.

According to a recent survey by Indeed, more than half of Australian white-collar workers (56 per cent) now use AI tools to help them get their work done. That’s nearly 4 million professionals. However, the more alarming figure is that 40 per cent of these workers – around 1.5 million people – say they prefer to work with AI specifically to avoid interacting with their colleagues. One in five even admit they like AI more than the people they work with.

It’s a stark reminder that conversations around AI can’t just be about skills, jobs, or productivity. We also need to talk about people. About relationships. About loneliness. We need to talk about psychological safety, social identity, and the basic human drive to belong. If left unchecked, the rapid use of AI in the workplace could deepen disconnection and damage team cohesion.

Why are workers turning to AI over their colleagues?

Without a doubt, AI can be incredibly helpful. But it’s now doing more than admin. It’s becoming a confidant and a companion. Almost half of white-collar workers say they use AI to vent about work problems. Three in five ask it for help with difficult conversations. And a staggering 47 per cent use AI for casual conversation instead of chatting with someone at work.

These findings suggest that AI isn’t just a work tool; it’s becoming a social substitute, fulfilling unmet psychological needs. Some of this behaviour could be driven by workplace dynamics. Not everyone has strong connections at work. For remote and hybrid employees, in particular, building rapport can be harder. Add social anxiety, workplace politics, or poor team culture into the mix and it’s easy to see why some might prefer the perceived safety and efficiency of AI over human interaction.

But that preference comes at a cost.

The growing cost of disconnection

Human connection isn’t just “nice to have” – it’s essential to mental health, wellbeing, and team performance. Relatedness is a core psychological need. Workers who feel connected to their colleagues are more engaged, more creative, and more likely to stay in their jobs.

The inverse is also true. Avoiding colleagues can lead to social isolation, reduce collaboration, and damage culture. And with loneliness already being described as a public health crisis, this growing reliance on AI could quietly worsen an already serious issue.

What HR needs to do now

HR and business leaders need to be asking harder questions. Are we fostering psychological safety and a sense of belonging, or unintentionally encouraging people to retreat into their screens? Are we building a workplace where people want to connect and thrive?

There are also actions to take:

Set boundaries for AI use

Make it clear that AI should enhance human interaction, not replace it. Establish guidelines that balance technological efficiency with the need for in-person and team-based communication.

Prioritise connection in your culture

Invest in shared experiences and spaces (virtual or physical) for casual interaction. Social connection should be embedded in your wellbeing and engagement strategy.

Train managers to recognise disconnection

Just as we monitor for burnout, we should be looking for signs of social withdrawal. Equip managers to support relational health, through check-ins and open-door practices.

If we let AI replace our relationships, we risk losing something far more valuable than time: the sense of connection, camaraderie and community that transforms work from a mere transaction into a shared human endeavour.

We can’t afford to automate that away.

Amanda Gordon is a workplace psychologist at Indeed.