Humanising AI: Bringing emotional intelligence for better interactions

Humanising AI: An introduction to the series

As artificial intelligence (AI) advances, it’s more essential than ever to ensure it aligns with human values, emotions, and needs. This blog series, ‘Humanising AI’ will explore the many ways AI can be developed and deployed with a human focus - from creating empathetic interactions to reshaping the user experience, sparking innovation, and supporting workforce readiness for an AI-integrated future.

In this first blog, I’ll look at one of AI’s most promising areas: emotional intelligence. Imagine a future where AI can understand and respond to human emotions, creating digital interactions that feel more supportive, empathetic, and more meaningful. It’s probably not that far off…

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming deeply embedded in our daily lives, and I believe there's an increasing need to infuse these systems with emotional intelligence (EI). When machines can recognise and respond to human emotions, we can make AI interactions more natural, empathetic, and effective. My own experiences with AI have shown me both the potential and the shortcomings of AI when it comes to understanding human emotion.

Let me share a recent encounter I had with a customer service bot. When a parcel I was expecting to be delivered went missing I did my best to get through to a human but had to settle for chatting with a bot. Despite its attempts to assist, the parcel could not be tracked down and never arrived. The experience was completely impersonal and I felt unheard. The technology was efficient, but it just didn’t understand my frustration. This is where EI could enhance AI – allowing it not only to recognise emotions but also to address them in a way that’s both effective and empathetic.

What is emotional intelligence (EI)?

In human terms, EI is the ability to perceive and understand emotions, including self-awareness, empathy, and emotional regulation. Emotional intelligence adds a valuable human element to AI, greatly enhancing its benefits. Imagine AI that not only processes data but also senses when a user is frustrated or happy. This emotional understanding is key in areas like healthcare or customer service, where trust and empathy improve outcomes. A doctor using AI for diagnosis or a customer resolving an issue benefit from an emotionally aware AI that can adapt to their emotional state, shifting the interaction from purely transactional to supportive.
Emotion recognition using voice and facial analysis, robust emotional training data, and context awareness are key to creating emotionally intelligent AI. Ethical safeguards and human oversight also ensure responsible and supportive interactions.

Challenges of recognising and responding to emotions

Interpreting emotions is not easy, even for humans, and for AI it’s especially tricky. This difficulty is magnified when trying to teach AI to recognise emotions, especially through text, where tone and non-verbal cues are absent. While advancements in voice and facial recognition can help AI read emotional states more accurately, the challenge remains to ensure these richer data sources are responsive and not prescriptive. 

There has already been exciting progress. AI systems are already using voice recognition, facial analysis, and natural language processing to gauge emotional states. One promising application is in conversational AI where bots can adapt their tone and responses based on the user's emotional state and we’re already seeing clients who want AI that goes beyond automation, looking for tools that adapt in real time to support complex, often stressful, interactions. 

Can emotional intelligence be learned?

One of the most promising aspects of EI is that it can be learned. Research shows that with targeted training, humans can enhance their EI. These programs often focus on skills like emotion recognition and empathy, leading to better mental health and relationships. If humans can develop EI, AI systems can also be ‘taught’ emotional intelligence. AI can be programmed to refine its emotional recognition capabilities based on interactions and emotional feedback and importantly it will understand when my frustration requires quick escalation to a human.

Benefits of Human-AI collaboration

As AI continues to advance, increasingly working alongside people rather than just serving us in isolated ways, EI becomes essential. Human-AI collaboration in all settings demands a level of understanding and synergy that goes beyond efficiency. Emotional intelligence in AI can help bridge this gap, making collaboration more seamless and effective. When AI is capable of interpreting human emotions, it can adjust its behaviour to suit our needs, making it a true partner rather than just a tool. This augmentation of human capabilities with emotionally aware AI can lead to better decision-making, improved productivity, and more supportive interactions.

Do we still need humans in the loop?

While emotionally intelligent AI can enhance customer experiences, let’s be clear that this approach does not replace the essential role of humans in the loop. At CGI we believe that human insight, empathy, and decision-making remain irreplaceable, especially in sensitive or complex interactions. Emotionally aware AI should enrich these touchpoints, empowering human teams to deliver more responsive and meaningful customer experiences. Rather than substituting human involvement, this technology complements it, helping create a more supportive and connected overall experience.

The road ahead

Of course, challenges remain. Emotionally intelligent AI still struggles to fully understand the complexity of human emotions. Recognising an angry voice is one thing but understanding the underlying cause and responding in a meaningful way is far more challenging. Developers have a lot to refine in the coming years, but I’m optimistic. The more AI can learn to adapt to our emotional needs rather than relying on rigid scripting, the more natural and effective our interactions will become. Emotionally tuned systems can transform how we experience technology, moving beyond basic efficiency to interactions that resonate on a human level. With AI increasingly integrated into our lives, I’m hopeful about the potential of emotionally intelligent systems to create experiences that genuinely support and connect us.

Conclusion

Incorporating emotional awareness into AI is no longer optional — emotionally intelligent systems are the key to making our interactions with AI feel more human and empathetic leading to better outcomes. While challenges remain, I’m confident that the future of AI lies in its ability to understand and respond to human emotions, making our digital lives more meaningful and connected.

At CGI, our experience in developing adaptable AI shows that understanding the emotional context can enhance productivity and satisfaction for clients, end-users, and customers alike. If you’d like to explore how emotionally intelligent AI could benefit your organisation, feel free to get in touch with us. We’d be glad to discuss how we can help bring this transformative technology to your business.

What’s next in Humanising AI?

Emotional intelligence is just one piece of the puzzle in creating a more human-centric AI. In our next blog, we’ll explore how AI is impacting user experience, reshaping how we interact with digital systems, bringing convenience, personalisation, and increased satisfaction.