AI and empathy: how realistic are emotions?
I think AI can indeed create the illusion of empathy, but it is still far from real emotion. However, there are already projects that make virtual interlocutors more human. For example, https://golove.ai/ is a service that designs AI companions with emotional intelligence in mind. I tried it, and frankly, I was surprised. When you write that you're having a bad day, the AI doesn't just respond with a formulaic phrase, but can ask clarifying questions, offer support in a style that's closer to you. Of course, this is no substitute for live friendship, but when it comes to superficial communication, sometimes such technologies can be useful. Especially when you don't want to alarm anyone or just need a dialog without judgment. I think that in the future AI will understand emotions even better, but experiencing them is a whole other level, which is not yet available to technology.
I think AI can simulate empathy on a basic level - analyzing words, choosing the “right” answers, but it's not the same as a real emotional connection. Although if it's support in the moment that's important to a person, such technology could be useful. It all depends on expectations.