Artificial Empathy: When perfect listeners create imperfect connections

By Dr Emmanuel CARRÉ, Director, Excelia Communication School, Member of CERIIM Laboratory (Excelia), affiliated with CIMEOS Laboratory (University of Burgundy)

Artificial intelligence tools that give the impression of understanding our emotions are proliferating. From Replika to Snapchat AI, millions of users converse daily with systems designed to listen and reassure. Replika has 25 million users, Snapchat AI gathers 150 million, and Xiaoice reaches 660 million users in China, according to a 2025 Amplyfi report. Available 24/7, without judgment or emotional fatigue, these systems simulate empathic listening. But does this artificial empathy genuinely help lonely people, or does it create new forms of dependency?

A Sophisticated Simulation
In his seminal 1983 study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, psychologist Mark Davis defined empathy as the capacity to perceive others’ mental and emotional states, adjust to them, and account for them in one’s conduct. Researchers distinguish cognitive ...