People Prefer Human Empathy Over AI, Even When Identical

Even when artificial intelligence generates the exact same empathetic response as a human, people value it less simply because they know it came from a machine.

A sweeping new study involving over 6,000 participants across nine experiments reveals that the source of empathy matters as much as its content, with profound implications for how we integrate AI into healthcare, education, and daily emotional support.

The research, published in Nature Human Behaviour, shows that people consistently rate AI-generated responses as less empathetic, less supportive, and less emotionally satisfying than identical responses they believe come from humans. The preference was so strong that participants were willing to wait days or even weeks for human feedback rather than receive immediate AI assistance.

“We’re entering an age where AI can produce responses that look and sound empathic,” said Prof. Anat Perry from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, who led the international research team. “But this research shows that even if AI can simulate empathy, people still prefer to feel that another human truly understands, feels with them, and cares.”

The Authenticity Effect

Researchers used sophisticated deception to isolate the impact of perceived source on empathy evaluation. Participants shared personal emotional experiences and received AI-generated responses—but were told these came from either humans or chatbots. The responses were crafted by large language models to include cognitive understanding, emotional sharing, and genuine care.

The results were striking. Human-attributed responses consistently received higher ratings for empathy and support, while generating more positive emotions and fewer negative ones. The effect held across different AI models, response lengths, and even multi-turn conversations.

A crucial finding not emphasized in the press release: When participants even suspected that a “human” response might have been AI-assisted, their positive feelings diminished significantly. This suggests that perceived authenticity—the belief that someone genuinely invested time and emotional effort—plays a critical role in how we experience empathy.

Which Aspects of Empathy Matter Most

The research revealed that not all components of empathy are valued equally. The preference for human sources was strongest for responses emphasizing:

• Emotional sharing (“feeling with” the person)
• Genuine care and concern (motivational empathy)
• Investment of time and emotional effort
• Authentic understanding rather than just cognitive recognition

When AI was prompted to provide only cognitive understanding—recognizing emotions without expressing feeling or care—the gap between human and AI preferences largely disappeared. This suggests people can accept AI for analysis and advice, but crave human connection for emotional support.

The Choice Experiment

Perhaps most revealing were experiments where participants could choose between immediate AI responses or waiting substantial periods for human feedback. Remarkably, many chose to wait—not just for responses, but even for confirmation that another human had simply read their story.

Those who selected human interaction cited desires for genuine understanding, emotional sharing, and someone who truly cares. AI choosers, meanwhile, prioritized speed and convenience, or sometimes preferred AI to avoid potential judgment from other people.

Implications for AI Integration

The findings carry significant implications for deploying AI in sensitive contexts. While AI shows promise for scaling support systems in healthcare, education, and mental health, the research highlights crucial limitations.

“AI may help scale support systems,” Perry explains, “but in moments that require deep emotional connection, people still want the human touch.”

As AI assistance becomes ubiquitous in communication—from email drafting to message editing—the research suggests a hidden cost. “The more we rely on AI, the more our words risk feeling hollow,” Perry warns. “As people begin to assume that every message is AI-generated, the perceived sincerity, and with it, the emotional connection, may begin to disappear.”

The Future of Emotional AI

The study raises fundamental questions about authenticity in an AI-augmented world. While current AI lacks the capacity to genuinely “feel with” humans or truly care about their wellbeing, it can provide valuable cognitive empathy and practical support without fatigue or bias.

The challenge becomes knowing when human connection is essential versus when AI assistance suffices. The research suggests AI excels at understanding and advice, while humans remain irreplaceable for emotional sharing and genuine care.

As AI becomes more sophisticated and human-like, these distinctions may become both more important and harder to maintain, fundamentally reshaping how we value and experience authentic human connection in an increasingly digital world.