The Future of Empathy in AI: Perspectives from Lidewij Niezink and Peter van der Putten (MDE575)

Minter Dialogue with Lidewij Niezink and Peter van der Putten

Lidewij Niezink's Background and Current Work

- Lidewij shares her extensive experience in empathy within psychology.

- Recent focus on integrating AI into applied psychology at Hanze University.

- Exploration of using AI, particularly chatbots, in student projects to enhance their studies and professional development.

Peter van der Putten's Background and Current Work

- Peter discusses his long-standing fascination with AI since 1989.

- His dual role as an assistant professor at Leiden University and director of the AI lab at Pegasystems.

- Emphasis on AI's role in understanding human intelligence and emotions, and its application in customer interactions.

Intersection of Empathy and AI

- Minter highlights the guests' converging paths: Peter from AI to empathy, and Lidewij from empathy to AI.

- Discussion on the potential of AI to assist in therapeutic contexts due to a shortage of human therapists.

Defining Human Uniqueness

- Peter and Lidewij debate what makes humans unique, considering empathy, consciousness, and irrationality.

- Peter suggests that our projection of human qualities onto AI and other entities is a significant aspect of our interaction with technology.

Empathy in AI and Human Interaction

- Lidewij emphasises the importance of holding experiential space in empathy, avoiding projection and judgement.

- Peter discusses the moral expectations in empathetic interactions, whether human or AI-driven.

Challenges and Opportunities in AI Empathy

- The guests explore the complexities of encoding empathy into AI, including the need for transparency and understanding the end goals of AI applications.

- Peter shares insights from his research on AI's ability to understand and replicate human emotions and intentions.

Practical Applications and Ethical Considerations

- Lidewij and Peter discuss the practical applications of AI in customer service and the importance of aligning AI behaviour with company values.

- The conversation touches on the ethical implications of AI empathy, including the need for transparency and the potential for AI to hold humans to higher standards.

Conclusion and Call to Action

- Lidewij invites collaboration on developing empathic AI applications, emphasising transparency and ethical considerations.

- Peter highlights the importance of starting with a human perspective in AI development and shares resources for responsible AI use.

Contact Information

- Lidewij Niezink can be reached through her website, empathicintervision.com, and LinkedIn.

- Peter van der Putten's work can be explored further through Pega.AI and his academic research, accessible via a simple Google search.