---
id: "action-design-ai-provocations"
type: "action-item"
source_timestamps: ["§ How to Ensure AI Doesn’t Weaken Human Connections"]
tags: ["prompt-engineering", "system-design"]
related: ["concept-positive-friction", "framework-five-measures-human-connection"]
action: "Configure internal AI tools to prompt users to consult specific human colleagues for nuanced tasks."
outcome: "Increased cross-functional collaboration and reduced siloed reliance on AI."
sources: ["adoption"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-adoption"
originDay: 9
articleStem: "hbr-sig-53-ai-personal-support-risky"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2026/05/employees-are-relying-on-ai-for-personal-support-thats-risky"
sourceTitle: "Employees Are Relying on AI for Personal Support. That’s Risky."
---
# Design AI Provocations

**Action:** Configure internal AI tools to prompt users to consult specific human colleagues for nuanced tasks.

**How:** Introduce [[concept-positive-friction]] into internal AI systems to prevent over-reliance. **Avoid giving AI agents human names or personas.** Configure AI assistants with socially oriented prompts that route users to human colleagues for nuanced situations — e.g., program the AI to suggest specific coworkers for review, or to ask, *"Shall I introduce you to [Colleague] who has handled this before?"* — to knit employees together.

**Outcome:** Increased cross-functional collaboration and reduced siloed reliance on AI.

This is measure #3 of [[framework-five-measures-human-connection]].