Comparing The Value Of Perceived Human Versus Aigenerated Empathy Matan Rubin Joanna Z Li Federico Zimmerman Desmond C Ong Amit Goldenberg Anat Perry by Matan Rubin & Joanna Z. Li & Federico Zimmerman & Desmond C. Ong & Amit Goldenberg & Anat Perry instant download after payment.

Artifcial intelligence (AI) and specifcally large language models demonstrate remarkable social–emotional abilities, which may improve human–AI interactions and AI’s emotional support capabilities. However, it remains unclear whether empathy, encompassing understanding, ‘feeling with’ and caring, is perceived diferently when attributed to AI versus humans. We conducted nine studies (n = 6,282) where AI-generated empathic responses to participants’ emotional situations were labelled as provided by either humans or AI. Human-attributed responses were rated as more empathic and supportive, and elicited more positive and fewer negative emotions, than AI-attributed ones. Moreover, participants’ own uninstructed belief that AI had aided the human-attributed responses reduced perceived empathy and support. These efects were replicated across varying response lengths, delays, iterations and large language models and were primarily driven by responses emphasizing emotional sharing and care. Additionally, people consistently chose human interaction over AI when seeking emotional engagement. These fndings advance our general understanding of empathy, and specifcally human–AI empathic interactions.