REFLECTIONS In the age of AI, we choose empathy

Here at Verde Clinic, we are no strangers to large language model AIs. They can be clever, creative, and amusing too. It is no secret that AI is set to change the way we live and work for many years to come.

But the more I use these tools for what they are good at, the easier it is for me to notice what people are great at. Genuine empathy, where two people can share a single affective space, is a deep human need that is impossible to substitute.

Empathy is more than a nicety.

When patients receive care they feel is empathic, it contributes to better recovery and resilience, both psychologically and physiologically. That is why I work to place empathy at the heart of what I do.