Stop Calling AI a Co-Worker – It’s Dehumanizing

The Humanization of AI Has Gone Too Far

Generative AI models are increasingly being marketed with human names and personalities, making them feel less like sophisticated algorithms and more like colleagues. This deliberate anthropomorphization aims to build trust quickly while downplaying AI’s potential threat to human jobs. The trend isn’t just problematic – it’s accelerating at an alarming pace.

The Psychology Behind the Trend

Enterprise startups, particularly those from Y Combinator, have adopted this approach because it sells. In an uncertain economy where hiring feels risky, framing AI as “staff” rather than software makes replacements more palatable to overwhelmed managers. Some companies aren’t even trying to hide their intentions – like Atlog, which proudly advertises an “AI employee for furniture stores” capable of replacing multiple human managers.

The Trust Trap: How Names Manipulate Perception

Consumer-facing AI platforms employ similar psychological tactics:

• Anthropic‘s “Claude” suggests warmth and reliability
• Fintech apps like Dave and Albert use friendly names to mask transactional realities
• AI-as-friend framing makes data sharing feel less intrusive

When Humanization Crosses the Line

While initially harmless, this trend has reached a tipping point. Every new “AI employee” like “Devin” raises ethical questions about human displacement. Recent unemployment data shows 1.9 million Americans receiving continued jobless benefits – the highest since 2021 – with tech workers particularly affected.

The Harsh Reality of AI Displacement

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei recently predicted that AI could eliminate half of entry-level white-collar jobs within five years, potentially pushing unemployment to 20%. Most affected workers remain unaware of this looming threat. While not as dramatic as HAL 9000’s betrayal in 2001: A Space Odyssey, the consequences could be similarly devastating for those impacted.

A Call for Responsible Marketing

Tech companies should learn from IBM’s approach – mainframes were never called “digital co-workers.” Computers were tools, not colleagues. Today’s AI should be marketed the same way:

• Focus on productivity enhancement
• Avoid anthropomorphic branding
• Be transparent about capabilities

Empowering Humans, Not Replacing Them

The AI revolution will continue regardless of marketing approaches. However, companies have a choice in how they position these technologies. Rather than creating artificial “employees,” we need software that:

• Amplifies human creativity
• Enhances existing skills
• Creates new opportunities

It’s time to drop the deceptive coworker charade. Let’s talk about AI for what it really is – powerful tools that should uplift human potential rather than threatening livelihoods. That’s the future worth building.