@article{2026:kruse:intimate_m,
title = {Intimate Machines, Disturbed Minds: Managing the Affective Cost of AI},
year = {2026},
note = {As artificial intelligence (AI) systems increasingly simulate empathy
and engage relationally with users, they begin to influence the
affective fabric of organizations. Drawing on insights from
information systems research, organizational science, and management
theory, we argue that existing theoretical and governance frameworks
are ill-equipped to account for these developments. We distinguish
external regulation from internal governance and propose a
preventive–corrective framework for addressing affective costs
across work contexts. Building on this framework, we outline a
research agenda that challenges prevailing assumptions in management
and strategy, calling for renewed attention to affect, relational
dynamics, and emotional architectures in organizations shaped by
affective AI.},
journal = {Swiss Journal of Business},
pages = {89--94},
author = {Kruse, Leona Chandra and Mikalef, Patrick},
volume = {80},
number = {1}
}