Italian Journal of Health Education, Sports and Inclusive Didactics
Simulating empathy: artificial Intelligence, ontology of care, and authenticity of the relational experience
Abstract
The increasing use of artificial intelligence in healthcare, educational, and social contexts requires a critical reflection on the meaning of empathy and care. Contemporary conversational systems can generate responses perceived as empathetic, enhancing communication, accessibility, and therapeutic support. However, functional effectiveness does not coincide with the lived experience of empathy, which involves embodiment, vulnerability, intentionality, and moral responsibility. Drawing on transhumanism, posthumanism, phenomenology, and the ethics of care, this contribution explores the relationship between artificial intelligence and relational experience from an anthropological and bioethical perspective. It distinguishes the linguistic simulation of empathy from the authentic care relationship, arguing that human–machine interaction cannot be evaluated solely through communicative performance, but must consider the ontological dimension of the person. The analysis addresses both the benefits of AI in clinical contexts and the risks of anthropomorphism, relational dependency, moral delegation, algorithmic opacity, and the technocratic reduction of human experience. In dialogue with Pope Leo XIV’s Magnifica humanitas, the paper argues that technology should remain oriented toward human dignity and the common good, supporting rather than replacing authentic care relationships.
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References
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.32043/gsd.v10i3.1757
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Italian Journal of Health Education, Sports and Inclusive Didactics
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