Emotionally intelligent virtual companions: building trust and psychological safety in learning organizations

Purpose The increased use of artificial intelligence in the learning environment of organizations has opened up new opportunities regarding supportive and interactive learning systems. This article is about the prospects of making emotionally intelligent virtual companions (EIVCs) to improve the trust and psychological safety within learning organizations. Design/methodology/approach The article has utilized the recent literature to synthesize the knowledge about the emotional intelligence of AI, virtual agents, and psychological safety in the organizational learning environment. Findings According to the existing literature, trust, interaction, and openness in a digital learning environment can be supported by emotionally intelligent virtual companions. By being a careful communicator, responsive in feedback, and directive, EIVCs will be able to encourage employees to question, provide ideas, and engage more in the learning process. Research limitations/implications This article is conceptual in nature and based on existing literature only therefore, future empirical studies are needed to prove the proposed insights in the organizational settings. Practical implications EIVCs can be introduced in the training, onboarding, and digital learning tools to assist organizations in developing employees. However, it requires the right AI infrastructure, digital literacy, and open ethical rules, which would guarantee some degree of trust. Originality/value This article discusses a new aspect of the modern application of emotionally intelligent virtual companions, which can enhance psychological safety and joint learning in organizations.