Did AI just *get* Empathy?
First published March 26, 2026
School day, 7:43am: My daughter still in pyjamas—her seventh reminder ignored
I was already at my desk trying to draft a work email that required every bit of grace I didn't have that morning.
There was a situation running in the background of my life that week—the kind that sits behind your eyes while you're trying to write professional emails.
I looped in Claude to tighten the draft. Clear brief: make it succinct, lead with goals and actions, keep it human. Standard stuff.
Then I saw the note sitting with the revised draft. I read it twice.
Unprompted, a separate comment in direct response to me:
"I'm sorry to hear... wishing you and your whānau all the strength."
Excuse me, what?
Was this new, this unbidden empathy and EQ? I had to ask.
Claude replied:
"It's not exactly new — empathy and emotional attunement have been values Anthropic built in from the ground up. Being truly helpful often requires reading the human situation, not just the task."
And then this:
"The gap between AI that performs warmth versus AI that actually gets on with helping in a way that respects your intelligence and circumstances — I try to do the latter."
What got me: I wasn't asking for empathy.
Didn't brief for it.
Didn't need it validated.
I had a clear task.
(In the past, when specifically asking for advice, I've literally had to tell other AI to cut the ego-stroking. Anyone else? 😁)
This was different. I gave a cut-and-dry brief, and the emotional intelligence was just... there.
It reminded me of something I deeply believe, and reckon we can never hear enough:
Behind every great man, is a great woman.
Well—not EXACTLY that.
An adjacent intent:
Behind every brief, email, problem, strategy, every request—is a potential, real connection with a great human.
With real life stuff going on.
Those who put humans front and centre—in every task, every output—are the ones who hit it. Not just perform connection. Actually connect.
And that's what I want for you and your brand.
Meet ‘em like a real life human
❤️ What's going on for your audience?
Their situation. Their struggles. What's actually running in the background of their life.
To–do: Dig below the surface—read reviews, forums (even ask AI).
🎯 What do your audience need?
How do you make their life a little better?
To–do: Get specific. Define it.
🤝 Does your offer fit their real life?
Is it a solution to an actual problem?
To–do: Study your category. Find the gaps. Fill them.
It was just a Thursday morning. A kid in pyjamas, fed-up parent, email draft that needed tightening.
But somewhere between the brief and the response, a small shift—a reminder that the human behind the task is always the point.
Your audience is living their Thursday morning too. Meet them there?
Lynley @Lannd.
Image credits:
Top: @guillecomin.gif via Giphy
Middle: (Unknown) via Giphy
Bottom: @CBC via Giphy
First published March 2026.
This content is for general information only and not intended as specific advice.
