Who – or what – people engage for supportive conversations is rapidly evolving as technology becomes more sophisticated and users adapt their expectations and perceptions of communication. Empathy is central to understanding and responding to emotions along with communicating sensitive supportive messages. Questions surrounding the role of empathy when communicating with artificial intelligence, however, have yielded mixed and interesting conclusions. This chapter discusses perspectives on empathy, supportive communication, and the influence of machine agents in the process of communicating sensitive, empathic messages. We consider whether machine agents can simulate empathy and convey sensitive support or merely produce reactive content that might simply appear empathic. This chapter offers insights into the relationship between empathy and supportive interactions with artificial intelligence.
Austin Beattie, Andrew C. High· Cambridge University Press e...· 0 citations
As artificial intelligence chatbots offer increasingly sophisticated emotional support, society faces a profound question: can a machine truly empathize? Empathy and Artificial Intelligence provides the first comprehensive roadmap for this pivotal moment. Moving beyond simple binaries of 'hype' or 'doom,' this interdisciplinary volume unites leading psychologists, philosophers, and engineers to explore the tangled web of synthetic care. Key chapters investigate the 'AI Advantage' – where machines often outperform humans in perceived empathy – alongside the 'AI Penalty,' where discovering the artifice corrodes trust. The text navigates the distinct landscapes of text-based LLMs and embodied robots, addressing urgent ethical dilemmas and exploring whether reliance on AI risks the atrophy of our moral capacities or enables synthetic agents to scaffold stronger human relationships. Essential for researchers, students, and curious observers, this book investigates whether outsourcing our emotional labor saves us time, or costs us our humanity.
C. Daryl Cameron, Anat Perry, Shai Satran et al.· Cambridge University Press e...· 0 citations
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