AI vs “AI”: Synthetic Minds or Speech Acts

The observation that the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted workplace relationships and working practices is trite; it is nonetheless true. One significant change has been that the massive increase in call-center employment in the past 20 years has been mirrored during the pandemic by a corresponding increase in remote working or working-from-home. However, the call-center sector is, at least anecdotally, characterized by pressurized, target-driven completion of routine tasks often performed by temporary, over-qualified personnel with little personal control, investment, and engagement. Consequently, manager–employee relationships are often strained and, in particular, mistrustful.