AI Shows Promise for Emotional Support But Faces Bias Against Its Capabilities
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AI-generated messages made recipients feel more "heard" than human-generated messages in an experiment. However, knowing a message came from AI made recipients feel less heard, indicating a bias.
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AI was better than untrained humans at detecting emotions and offering emotional support strategies previously shown to be empathetic.
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Recipients felt more hope and less distress after receiving AI responses, suggesting a positive emotional effect.
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AI demonstrated more discipline than humans in providing emotional support without overwhelming practical suggestions.
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While AI shows promise in meeting human needs for feeling heard, the devaluation of AI poses a challenge that must be addressed.