A growing number of knowledge workers in the US and Europe are turning to AI chatbots like Claude from Anthropic and Gemini from Google for help, rather than reaching out to their coworkers. The trend accelerated in 2025, when – according to a survey by Upwork – as many as 67% of respondents trusted AI more than their colleagues, and 64% reported better relationships with machines than with people Upwork report on AI-human relationships[2]. Workers are choosing convenience, speed, and freedom from judgment. The result? Organizations are seeing productivity gains, but experts warn about the erosion of human connections that have long fueled innovation and team cohesion.
AI Replacing the Colleague at the Desk – What’s Driving the Shift?
An internal report from Anthropic in November 2024 reveals that even the company’s own engineers increasingly rely on AI assistants for everyday problems they used to discuss with peers. “I enjoy working with people, and it’s sad that now I ‘need’ them less,” admitted one employee Axios analysis on changes in remote work[4]. The company acknowledges that routine questions are now handled by chatbots, reducing opportunities for mentoring and collaboration. This trend isn’t limited to the tech sector—it’s spreading across the entire landscape of knowledge workers, from corporations to startups.
Trust in AI Grows as Human Bonds Weaken
Economist Thomas Weinandy at Axios doesn’t hide his frustration: “AI is becoming the new Google search, and I get annoyed when someone asks me something they could look up themselves”Weinandy’s quote in Axios. For many, a chatbot is the ‘drama-free colleague,’ as Neil Ripley from Google puts it—it doesn’t judge, doesn’t demand attention, and isn’t affected by time zones Neil Ripley’s comment on Gemini AI[5].
New Challenges: Is AI Trapping Us in a Bubble?
On the other hand, workplace experts are raising serious concerns. Kelly Monahan, co-author of the Upwork study, warns: “That’s a dangerous kind of feedback to get at work.” In her view, human coworkers should challenge ideas and sharpen thinking, whereas AI always agrees with the user Monahan’s analysis in Upwork. “I worry that this is a huge problem. Today we’re more efficient, but in two years we’ll have fragmented organizations,” she adds.
Rising isolation is no longer just a theoretical threat. Data from Gallup shows that since 2020, employees have felt increasingly emotionally detached from their workplaces Gallup study on feelings of disconnection[1]. In 2025, a full 85% of respondents reported growing feelings of loneliness, compared to 75% two years earlier Upwork analysis on workplace loneliness[3].
Can Artificial Intelligence Support Rather Than Replace People?
Not everyone is sounding the alarm, though. Edwige Sacco at KPMG argues that AI can actually support relationships—if used wisely. Employees often use AI to prepare for conversations with people—“It’s like a mirror for your own thoughts,” Sacco explains Edwige Sacco’s statement on AI as support. KPMG is even testing coaching software to help staff prepare for performance reviews and build stronger relationships.
AI advocates believe the next stage of development is teams learning to collaborate with technology, not simply replacing people with it. This approach could help curb the negative effects of isolation and restore balance between productivity and social bonds forecasts on AI-human collaboration. Upwork analysis on AI adoption trends. Whether companies will truly invest in relationships or take the easy route, however, remains an open question.