Other research suggests that AI’s apparent empathy may not be machine empathy at all, but a statistical synthesis of human empathy drawn from vast amounts of human language. Together, these findings are pushing psychologists to ask not only whether AI can simulate empathy, but what empathy requires in the first place. Presented with anonymous messages, participants frequently judge AI responses as more supportive than human responses. “A lot of scientists have argued that AI empathy is really just a thin veil of human empathy,” Ong said. “Seeking AI support is likely to just reinforce whatever you already think, which may not be what you need to hear,” Thornton said.