Team Structure and Team Building Improve Human–Machine Teaming With Autonomous Agents

Research suggests that humans and autonomous agents can be more effective when working together as a combined unit rather than as individual entities. However, most research has focused on autonomous agent design characteristics while ignoring the importance of social interactions and team dynamics. Two experiments examined how the perception of teamwork among human–human and human–autonomous agents and the application of team building interventions could enhance teamwork outcomes. Participants collaborated with either a human or an autonomous agent. In the first experiment, it was revealed that manipulating team structure by considering your human and autonomous partner as a teammate rather than a tool can increase affect and behavior, but does not benefit performance. In the second experiment, participants completed goal setting and role clarification (team building) with their teammate prior to task performance. Team building interventions led to significant improvements for all teamwork outcomes, including performance. Across both studies, participants communicated more substantially with human partners than they did with autonomous partners. Taken together, these findings suggest that social interactions between humans and autonomous teammates should be an important design consideration and that particular attention should be given to team building interventions to improve affect, behavior, and performance.