A worker has had a difficult time performing, which is out of character. She was clearly upset and constantly on her phone. The HR manager came to the office to see if there was anything she could do.
The employee says, “I’m really upset because I just split up with my boyfriend.”
This employee didn’t have a boyfriend. It is not a big deal. Nobody is forced to reveal their private life at work.
The boyfriend was not human. It was an AI.
This scenario was sent to me in an email this morning along with the question: “WHAT WOULD YOU DO?”
Is someone trying to pull my chain? Sure. But I’ve done enough reading to know about these virtual relationships. I personally find them terrifying and I would advise you to stay away from such things at all costs.
What would I do as a HR professional? I would treat it like any other separation. I would refer her to EAP and keep an eye on her. I would also try to support her. I would make sure she gets the human therapy she needs.
This will likely become an increasingly important issue. It may seem like AI relationships are a problem outside of the workplace, but they will eventually come in.
