GenAI-augmented organizations, those integrating Generative AI into daily work, see GenAI as a new type of employee embedded within their social structures. GenAI conducts work tasks, adjusts roles and functions, and learns how to improve. As GenAI adoption rapidly increases, we must understand how it impacts social relationships and, consequently, social well-being and psychological safety in the workplace.


This study, based on 29 qualitative interviews with managers from knowledge-intensive, GenAI-augmented organizations, seeks to answer: In what ways does GenAI influence social relationships within these organizations?


The thematic analysis indicates that GenAI alters the patterns of social relationships, both positively and negatively. When employees preferentially ask for advice from GenAI, they reach out to their more experienced colleagues less often. Moreover, it appears that interacting with GenAI leads to deeper working in silos, which hinders the development of social relationships across organizations. In addition, our findings also indicate changes in communication when there are fewer status meetings, and the agendas of the conducted meetings encompass more discussion related to more complex problems than before. Furthermore, the use of GenAI may lead to new forms of collaboration, shaping new social relationships and deepening existing ones.


We conclude that the use of GenAI appears to have a profound impact on how social relationships are shaped and nurtured in GenAI-augmented organizations. Given that social interactions underpin the foundation for social well-being, psychological safety, and company culture, the influence of GenAI extends to these critical organizational outcomes. The findings underscore the need for established guidelines on the use of GenAI regarding ethics and responsibility. Moreover, managers have a special responsibility to shape social well-being in GenAI-augmented organizations, as they establish and deepen social relationships as part of the organizational HR and workforce development strategy.