Controversial Emotional AI Takes Over Businesses

The Rise of Emotional AI in Businesses

Companies are increasingly turning to sophisticated technologies to assess the emotions of their employees. According to a report by The Atlantic, these emotional AI software tools are used to monitor and analyze workers' emotional reactions in various professional contexts, such as meetings, customer calls, and even job interviews.

However, this trend has sparked criticism. Experts warn about the fragile scientific basis of these tools, which can also introduce racial biases and unfairly penalize employees.

A Growing Market Despite Bans

Although the European Union has banned the use of emotional AI in the workplace, the global market for these technologies is rapidly expanding. It is expected to triple by 2030, raising concerns about increased surveillance of workers.

In a detailed article, Ellen Cushing from The Atlantic explores how these software tools, which claim to read human emotions through AI, are gradually integrating into daily professional life. She personally tested the MorphCast service, which analyzed her facial expressions during a meeting and concluded that she was "amused," "determined," and "interested," although she was sometimes "impatient."

Varied Applications in the Professional World

These technologies are not limited to facial expression analysis. They extend to analyzing video interviews, audio recordings from call centers, and transcripts of discussions. For example, MetLife monitors the tone and intonation of its call center agents, while Burger King is experimenting with a chatbot named "Patty" to assess the friendliness of employee interactions.

Other companies like Framery are testing office chairs equipped with biosensors to measure heart rate, breathing rate, and stress. Integrations like Aware and Microsoft Azure offer sentiment analysis in internal communications, and providers like Imentiv market tools for recruitment.

Questionable Science and Legal Implications

Cushing's article questions the scientific validity of these technologies. Many rely on Paul Ekman's theory of six emotions, which has been widely criticized for its simplicity and methodological flaws. Neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett emphasizes that body movements or tones of voice do not have intrinsic emotional meaning.

A study by Lauren Rhue found that the emotion recognition AI evaluated Black NBA players as angrier than their white teammates, even when they were smiling. These biases raise significant ethical concerns.

Real Consequences and Ethical Concerns

The consequences of this dubious science and unregulated surveillance are already visible. An investigation by the New York Times in 2022 revealed that social workers at UnitedHealth were penalized for inactivity on their keyboards while conversing with patients. The ACLU also accused the platform HireVue and its client Intuit of discrimination after a deaf employee was denied a promotion.

In response to European regulations, MorphCast moved its headquarters from Florence to the Bay Area. The emotional AI market, despite the controversies, is on track to grow to nine billion dollars by 2030.

An Uncertain Future for Workers

Ellen Cushing concludes her report on a troubling note: beyond the failing systems, the real danger may lie in a future where these software tools operate perfectly, forcing workers to simulate emotions to meet the expectations of "emotional robots."