This HR Company Tried to Treat AI Bots Like People — It Didn’t Go Over Well

In an ambitious move to innovate the workplace, Lattice, a well-known HR company, decided to integrate AI bots into their system as “digital workers” with official employee records. This bold initiative, however, faced significant backlash and ultimately led to the cancellation of the project.

The Announcement

On July 9th, Lattice’s CEO Sarah Franklin announced in a blog post:

The Vision

The idea was to treat AI bots as part of the workforce, providing them with similar onboarding and performance management processes as human employees. These “digital workers” would have access to appropriate systems, be assigned specific goals, and even have managers to oversee their performance. The concept was to seamlessly integrate AI into the workplace, enhancing productivity and efficiency.

The Backlash

The announcement, however, did not sit well with many in the HR and tech communities. Here are some of the responses:

• Hebba Youssef, Chief People Officer at Workweek expressed her confusion on LinkedIn:

  “I have questions. My biggest one: why??”

• Amanda Halle, an HR professional, remarked:

  “Based on my experience in and around AI and HR, it appears to me that we’ve skipped several steps.”

• Sawyer Middeleer, Chief of Staff at Aomni, commented:

  “This strategy and messaging misses the mark in a big way, and I say that as someone building an AI company.”

The Concerns

Critics were quick to point out several issues with Lattice’s approach:

1. Ethical Concerns: The personification of AI raises significant ethical questions about the treatment and rights of human employees versus AI bots.

2. Practicality: Many felt that the initiative skipped essential steps in integrating AI into the workplace, potentially leading to more harm than good.

3. Impact on Workforce Dynamics: There were concerns about how the presence of AI “employees” would affect human workers, potentially leading to issues of trust, job security, and workplace dynamics.

The Retraction

Just three days after the initial announcement, Lattice posted an update saying it “will not further pursue digital workers in the product.” The company acknowledged the backlash and decided to halt the feature development.

Franklin’s Response

Sarah Franklin attempted to clarify Lattice’s intentions in subsequent LinkedIn posts, stating:

She explained that the goal was to enhance workplace productivity by integrating AI in a structured manner, not to blur the lines between human employees and digital workers.

The Broader Context

Lattice’s attempt to introduce digital workers is part of a larger trend among companies exploring AI’s role in the workplace. Companies like Cognition AI with their Devin software engineer and Qualified’s Piper AI sales representative are already making strides in this direction. However, Lattice’s approach highlighted the challenges and potential pitfalls of such initiatives.

Conclusion

Lattice’s bold experiment to treat AI bots like human employees ultimately failed due to significant backlash and practical concerns. The episode underscores the importance of carefully considering the ethical, practical, and social implications of integrating AI into the workplace. As the landscape of work continues to evolve with advancements in AI, companies must tread carefully to ensure that innovations benefit both the organization and its human workforce.

Stay tuned to Kushal Bharat Tech News for more updates on AI innovations and the evolving landscape of technology in the workplace.