AI is taking over awkward workplace talks, and managers see a risk

AI tools are increasingly being used to draft, decode and soften workplace messages, and some leadership experts say the habit could weaken relationships between employees and bosses. Leena Rinne, vice president of leadership, business and coaching at Skillsoft, told Fortune she calls the pattern “socially offloading.”

Rinne uses the term for moments when workers hand AI the parts of work that require judgment, empathy or courage. She said the issue is similar to cognitive offloading, where people use technology to reduce mental effort, but it reaches into relationship-building rather than routine tasks.

One employee described to Rinne a message from a boss that seemed unclear and possibly AI-written, according to Fortune. The employee then used an AI tool to interpret it, and the tool offered to draft a reply, leaving the worker feeling as if two bots were carrying the exchange instead of two people.

Rinne said the problem can also appear when a manager asks AI how to conduct a performance review, or when an employee uses it to answer a tense email. In her view, repeated dependence on a chatbot for those exchanges can stop workers from practicing how to read a colleague, respond under pressure and build trust over time.

AI advice versus human practice

A Harvard Business Review analysis cited by Fortune found that people are using AI in increasingly personal ways, with therapy and companionship among the most common uses. Rinne said the concern is not that AI advice is useless, but that employees may miss chances to develop emotional intelligence if software does too much of the work.

Skillsoft sells and uses AI products, Fortune reported, but Rinne said its goal is to train people rather than replace the conversation. The company’s CAISY tool lets users rehearse workplace discussions and receive feedback before they speak with a manager, client or colleague.

Rinne said that kind of practice differs from asking AI to supply the exact words to send. She told Fortune the better use case is coaching that helps workers build the ability to handle difficult discussions themselves.

Fewer managers, less coaching

Rinne also linked the trend to a broader reduction in middle management. She told Fortune that AI is not the root cause; she sees a leadership gap created as companies flatten reporting structures and remove layers of managers who once coached and mentored employees.

Fortune cited Meta as one example, reporting that the company has cut 25,000 jobs since 2022 and that its AI group has one manager for every 50 engineers. Fortune also noted that a 25-to-1 employee-to-manager ratio has traditionally been viewed as the high end of the span-of-control scale.

Cognizant, the IT consulting company with more than 350,000 employees globally according to its website, is also hiring heavily at the entry level, Fortune reported. CEO Ravi Kumar S told Fortune earlier this year that AI can put expertise close at hand for newer workers and help employers bring school graduates up to speed faster, while advantage will come more from interdisciplinary skills than from expertise alone.

Rinne said flatter structures can bring faster decisions and more autonomy. She also said managers remain necessary to turn strategy into execution, develop talent and keep teams connected.

Younger workers may feel the effects most sharply. Tessa West, a New York University psychology professor who studies communication between employees and bosses, told Fortune that reduced dating and socializing among young people can affect workplace skills, including negotiation and compromise.

Rinne said leaders should not assume younger employees are ready for rapid workplace change because they grew up with digital tools. She told Fortune companies still need to teach communication, judgment and relationship skills if they expect workers to succeed as AI spreads through offices.

This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.