Empathic Machines with Michael Inzlicht
In this episode of the Behavioral Design Podcast, hosts Aline and Samuel are joined by Michael Inzlicht, professor of psychology at the University of Toronto and co-host of the podcast Two Psychologists Four Beers. Together, they explore the surprisingly effortful nature of empathy—and what happens when artificial intelligence starts doing it better than we do.
Michael shares insights from his research into empathic AI, including findings that people often rate AI-generated empathy as more thoughtful, emotionally satisfying, and effortful than human responses—yet still prefer to receive empathy from a human. They unpack the paradox behind this preference, what it tells us about trust and connection, and whether relying on AI for emotional support could deskill us over time.
This conversation is essential listening for anyone interested in the intersection of psychology, emotion, and emerging AI tools—especially as machines get better at sounding like they care.
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The song used is Murgatroyd by David Pizarro