In an increasingly digital world, can artificial intelligence (AI) provide the emotional support we need? A groundbreaking study from the USC Marshall School of Business suggests that AI might be better at making us feel heard compared to untrained humans. But does knowing a message is from AI change how we perceive its empathy?
Key Facts:
- AI-generated responses initially made recipients feel more heard than untrained human responses.
- Recipients felt less heard when they knew the message came from AI, indicating a bias against AI in emotional contexts.
- The study suggests AI can offer disciplined emotional support and become a valuable tool in enhancing human interactions and empathy.
AI’s Superior Emotional Detection:
The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that AI-generated messages made recipients feel more "heard" than those from untrained humans. AI’s ability to detect and respond to human emotions was notably superior.
"In the context of an increasing loneliness…
