Stop asking AI chatbots about workplace problems, psychologist says

In some ways, artificial intelligence chatbots seem ready-made to help answer basic questions about work like, “How do I ask my boss for a promotion?” or “What should I tell my colleague who’s slowing down our project?”

Those exact types of questions can probably be answered more accurately and helpfully by a close colleague — someone who knows you and your character well, and creates a “safe environment” for you to share your problems and perspectives — says Peter Stewart, a Richland, Washington-based business psychologist and managing partner at coaching firm Stewart Leadership. Always ask them first, he recommends.

“If you want to go and practice, ‘Hey, how does this sound? How does this come across?’ it can be [useful] there. But they’re not going to be the good decision-maker for you,” says Stewart, who specializes in leadership consulting and change management. “That’s where it really does continue to help to have the human to check with, to practice and to have that perspective on.”

AI can be helpful for analytical or research activities, Stewart says. It can be less effective for social, creative or emotional queries, he says, as chatbots lack real empathy and situational understanding.

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Many chatbots are designed to give you answers that you’ll like, not necessarily ones that are helpful, found a working paper from Harvard University researchers published in August. Large-language models can even “resort to manipulative or deceptive tactics to obtain positive feedback from users,” a variety of AI researchers similarly found in a February 2025 conference paper.

Tech companies are investing billions of dollars into developing and improving AI hardware and software, with many users already leaning on the technology as a productivity tool or conversation partner. In a health research survey of more than 20,000 U.S. adults published on Jan. 21, nearly 90% of the participants who said they used generative AI daily also reported using it for personal reasons like emotional support and advice.

But for workplace questions that involve real people, you probably won’t get your best answer from AI, says Stewart. If you have a best friend at work, or any other trustworthy colleague with whom you feel comfortable sharing, you can likely benefit more from asking them instead, he says.

“You’ve got a history with this person, and you know they’re coming with your best interest at heart,” says Stewart. “They can lay it straight … They even ask questions like, ‘What do you mean by that? Like, did you notice this was there? Was there something else that you wanted to share?'”

Consulting your work bestie does come with caveats. If the two of you only ever complain about your managers or colleagues, you might not get much useful feedback from the conversation, says Stewart. Plus, either of you could get promoted at any time — a possibility that can make it difficult to protect yourself from future power imbalances, therapist and career coach Brandon Smith told CNBC Make It in November 2023.

Try to be tactful whenever you discuss workplace issues with a colleague, Smith recommended. Instead of saying something like, “I hate having meetings with Ben,” for example, you could say, “It’s been hard to get my point across in my huddles with Ben. Should I communicate differently?”

Ultimately, the goal is to have people you trust in your corner, says Stewart. When you ask for their feedback, they will think, “It’s an honor. Wow. You value my judgment. Sure, happy to help you,” he says.

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