Assoc. Prof. Özge Uğurlu Akbaş drew attention to the effects of communication with artificial intelligence on individuals' social skills, empathy capacity, and attention processes, stating that while AI accelerates communication, it also carries the risk of superficiality.
Assoc. Prof. Akbaş said, “Communication risks becoming a practice that accelerates with artificial intelligence technologies but also becomes superficial to the same extent. However, effective communication requires not only producing quick responses but also deeply establishing meaning.”
Assoc. Prof. Özge Uğurlu, Head of Public Relations and Advertising Department at Üsküdar University Faculty of Communication, made striking evaluations regarding the effects of communication established with artificial intelligence on individuals' social skills, empathy capacity, and attention processes.
Control in communication increases, patience and negotiation can weaken
Assoc. Prof. Özge Uğurlu stated that communication established with artificial intelligence transforms today's communication practices in terms of both speed and accessibility, as well as forms of relationality, adding, “This transformation can lead to the redefinition of elements inherent in the nature of communication, such as reciprocity, uncertainty, and emotional interaction. Individuals communicating with artificial intelligence often face an interlocutor who adapts to them, does not contradict, and provides instant responses. This situation can increase an individual's sense of control in communication, while weakening skills such as waiting, adapting, being patient, and negotiating, which are inevitable parts of real human relationships.”
We are moving into a position of demanding instead of listening
Assoc. Prof. Özge Uğurlu pointed out that the intensive use of artificial intelligence tools also has a transformative effect on listening skills, stating, “Effective communication requires not only expressing oneself correctly but also an active listening process aimed at truly understanding the other person. However, in communication established with artificial intelligence, the individual is often in the position of demanding and waiting for a response, rather than listening. Individuals accustomed to receiving constant fast feedback may find it difficult to show sufficient patience during the other person's self-expression process in real communication environments. This situation can lead to the spread of interrupted and superficial forms of interaction, reducing the depth of communication.”
Fast feedback can shorten attention span
Noting that artificial intelligence systems providing instant responses also reshape attention and focus processes, Assoc. Prof. Özge Uğurlu said, “Rapid feedback loops accustom individuals to short-term attention patterns, which can lead to the weakening of cognitive processes such as thinking, interpreting, and generating responses. In this context, communication risks becoming a practice that accelerates but also becomes superficial to the same extent. However, effective communication requires not only producing quick responses but also deeply establishing meaning.”
Empathy can be simulated, but a real connection cannot be formed
Uğurlu also explained that when evaluated in terms of empathy and emotional expression, communication with artificial intelligence exhibits a paradoxical structure, stating, “While on one hand it offers individuals a space where they can express themselves more comfortably and without judgment, on the other hand, it can weaken the emotional reciprocity that forms the foundation of real communication. Artificial intelligence can simulate empathy, but empathy involves mutual experience and connection-building processes. Therefore, communication established with artificial intelligence can bring with it the risk of limiting rather than supporting the development of empathetic capacity.”
Comfortable communication can reduce social resilience
Assoc. Prof. Özge Uğurlu also stated that one of the most significant risks of using artificial intelligence on social communication skills is individuals becoming accustomed to comfortable communication environments that are low-risk and high-control, adding, “In real life, communication is a process learned through misunderstandings, communication breakdowns, emotional tensions, and conflicts. Moving away from these experiences can weaken individuals' communicative resilience and increase their tendency to avoid social interactions.”
Artificial intelligence should be complementary
Emphasizing that the use of artificial intelligence must be balanced to protect communication skills, Assoc. Prof. Özge Uğurlu concluded by saying, “Artificial intelligence offers significant support within ethically acceptable limits in terms of access to information and productivity. Artificial intelligence should be regarded as a complementary tool, not an alternative that replaces human relationships. For communication skills to be sustained, individuals need to experience practices such as face-to-face interaction, active listening, empathy, and developing patience in daily life. Consequently, the preservation of the human dimension of communication is directly related to how and to what extent this technology is used.”
