AI is making traditional manager-employee 1:1 meetings obsolete as performance is already known

Organizational psychologist Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic argues that artificial intelligence and modern workplace technology are making traditional one-on-one meetings between managers and employees increasingly obsolete. His analysis suggests that real-time performance analytics, AI-powered feedback tools, and asynchronous communication platforms now provide better insights than scheduled check-ins, fundamentally challenging a management practice that has dominated corporate culture for decades.

The big picture: Traditional 1:1 meetings evolved from early 20th-century scientific management principles into a cornerstone of modern leadership, but they’re now struggling to justify their existence in an AI-driven workplace.

• Frederick Taylor’s Scientific Management (1911) laid the groundwork for formal manager-employee check-ins focused on productivity and control.
• Post-WWII workplace psychology and Douglas McGregor’s Theory Y reframed these meetings as opportunities for feedback and development.
• Andy Grove’s High Output Management in the 1980s popularized weekly 1:1s as tools for alignment and catching small issues before they became large ones.

Why most 1:1s fail: Research shows that 70 percent of meetings hinder employees from completing their tasks, with many 1:1s becoming counterproductive rituals rather than meaningful interactions.

• Manager-dominated conversations: When managers monopolize discussions or focus solely on task lists, it undermines the meeting’s developmental purpose.
• Lack of personal engagement: Effective 1:1s should address both tactical and personal aspects, but many neglect the human dimension.
• Over-frequency leading to micromanagement: Too-frequent meetings can make employees feel micromanaged rather than supported.

How AI is replacing 1:1 functions: Modern workplace technology now provides continuous insights that make scheduled check-ins feel antiquated and inefficient.

• Real-time performance monitoring through productivity analytics and engagement tools offers more comprehensive data than periodic conversations.
• AI platforms like Microsoft Copilot can summarize conversations, flag coaching opportunities, and recommend follow-ups automatically.
• Sentiment analysis tools can detect burnout risk from calendar density or written tone, providing emotional insights without human interpretation.

What’s coming next: Chamorro-Premuzic envisions a future where AI avatars could handle routine 1:1 meetings, allowing digital twins to exchange updates while humans focus on more valuable work.

• Companies like Synthesia and Soul Machines are already building digital avatars capable of unscripted conversations.
• Microsoft and Meta are investing in personal AI agents that can schedule, negotiate, and attend meetings autonomously.
• The author suggests this shift from “ritual to relevance” could replace standing meetings with intentional micro-interactions and data-driven nudges.

What they’re saying: “The weekly or biweekly 1:1 starts to feel like a nostalgic ritual—less ‘essential leadership practice,’ more ‘management cosplay,'” Chamorro-Premuzic writes.

• He describes the traditional format as “calendarized, synchronous, performative” and overdue for rethinking.
• “Great managers will still check in—but with intention, not obligation. They’ll coach, not calendar.”