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. 2025 Feb 17:12:1487883.
doi: 10.3389/frobt.2025.1487883. eCollection 2025.

Artificial social intelligence in teamwork: how team traits influence human-AI dynamics in complex tasks

Rhyse Bendell  1 , Jessica Williams  1 , Stephen M Fiore  1   2 , Florian Jentsch  3   4
Affiliations

Artificial social intelligence in teamwork: how team traits influence human-AI dynamics in complex tasks

Rhyse Bendell et al. Front Robot AI. .

Abstract

This study examines the integration of Artificial Social Intelligence (ASI) into human teams, focusing on how ASI can enhance teamwork processes in complex tasks. Teams of three participants collaborated with ASI advisors designed to exhibit Artificial Theory of Mind (AToM) while engaged in an interdependent task. A profiling model was used to categorize teams based on their taskwork and teamwork potential and study how these influenced perceptions of team processes and ASI advisors. Results indicated that teams with higher taskwork or teamwork potential had more positive perceptions of their team processes, with those high in both dimensions showing the most favorable views. However, team performance significantly mediated these perceptions, suggesting that objective outcomes strongly influence subjective impressions of teammates. Notably, perceptions of the ASI advisors were not significantly affected by team performance but were positively correlated with higher taskwork and teamwork potential. The study highlights the need for ASI systems to be adaptable and responsive to the specific traits of human teams to be perceived as effective teammates.

Keywords: artificial social intelligence; human-agent teams; team cognition; team performance; team process; theory of mind.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Team Process Average Ratings across Teamwork and Taskwork profile groups demonstrate that teams high in both dimensions report notably more positive perceptions of their teams than those teams high in only one dimension. All three groups of teams that were high in at least one dimension of the team profiles reported more positive perceptions than those teams low in both.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
ASI Evaluation: Trustworthy Rating by Teamwork and Taskwork Potential profile groups demonstrate that teams high in both dimensions report notably more positive perceptions of their advisors than those teams high in only one dimension. Additionally, all three groups of teams that were high in at least one dimension of the team profiles reported more positive perceptions than those teams low in both.
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References

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    1. Bendell R., Williams J., Fiore S. M., Jentsch F. (2023). Teamwork traits associated with positive perceptions of the dependability and utility of autonomous advisors. Proc. Hum. Factors Ergonomics Soc. Annu. Meet. 67 (1), 440–445. 10.1177/21695067231192207 - DOI
    1. Bendell R., Williams J., Fiore S. M., Jentsch F. (2024). Individual and team profiling to support theory of mind in artificial social intelligence. Sci. Rep. 14 (1), 12635. 10.1038/s41598-024-63122-8 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

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