A new study published in the Annals of Tourism Research suggests that Artificial Intelligence (AI)–driven management systems can become more human-centred—if organisations reintroduce human judgement, openness, and flexibility into the way algorithms are built and applied. Rather than replacing human managers, the research argues that AI should work alongside them, supporting better decisions while keeping empathy and fairness at the heart of management. The findings highlight that technology itself is not the problem; rather, the challenge lies in how organisations choose to design and use it.
The research team conducted interviews with thirty hospitality professionals and developers, alongside an analysis of sixty-one algorithmic management systems used in hotels, restaurants, and call centres. Their results show that AI does not remove managers from the picture; instead, it redistributes their authority. Algorithms now play a key role in assigning tasks, measuring performance, and scheduling shifts. Yet the human managers who interpret, adapt, or question these algorithmic outputs determine whether workplaces become more empowering or more controlling. In other words, AI sets the framework, but people still define how it feels to work within it.
Dr Brana Jianu, a Research Fellow at the University of Surrey and co-author of the study, explained that algorithmic management need not strip the workplace of its humanity. “When managers use algorithms as tools for collaboration rather than control, they can protect employee dignity while still improving efficiency,” she said. Dr Jianu stressed that people must remain involved at every stage—understanding how the systems work, using their own discretion, and questioning automated decisions when they seem unfair or inaccurate. Keeping people “in the loop” helps balance technological precision with moral responsibility.
The study also introduces the concept of Modalities of (In)Visibility, describing how algorithms influence what is seen, measured, and valued at work. When algorithmic systems make their reasoning clear and invite human interpretation, employees tend to feel respected and trusted. But when their inner workings are hidden—reducing workers to data points—the result is often a sense of surveillance and powerlessness. This concept captures how design choices in AI can directly affect the emotional and ethical climate of a workplace.
Professor Iis Tussyadiah, Dean of Surrey Business School and co-author of the study, emphasised the importance of designing for transparency and participation. “We need dashboards that display teamwork as well as individual productivity, allow staff to challenge automated decisions, and hold regular sessions explaining how data is used for scheduling or evaluation,” she said. These practical steps can help shift AI management from a model of control towards one of collaboration, where technology supports communication and fairness rather than undermining them.
The researchers conclude that making AI more human is less about the technology itself and more about organisational values. When managers remain engaged, transparent, and open to discussion, algorithmic systems can make work more efficient without dehumanising it. As the hospitality industry becomes an early testing ground for AI in management, the lessons it offers—about trust, accountability, and empathy—could influence the future of workplaces far beyond hotels and restaurants. By putting people before processes, organisations can ensure that intelligent systems serve human wellbeing, not the other way around.
More information: Brana Jianu et al, Humanising algorithmic management systems, Annals of Tourism Research. DOI: 10.1016/j.annals.2025.104021
Journal information: Annals of Tourism Research Provided by University of Surrey