🫀 Simulated Minds, Real Emotions?

👋 Welcome! Can machines truly feel what we feel? Today’s issue explores the rise of empathetic AI—and why real connection still needs a human touch. Let’s rethink what care means in a digital age.

Broadcom Unveils On-Device AI Translator – Broadcom and CAMB.AI launched a chipset that handles real-time translation and on-screen descriptions entirely on-device, removing the need for cloud access. Supporting over 150 languages with ultra-low latency and higher privacy, the chip’s demos even narrate movie scenes. It could transform accessibility, localization, and performance in next-gen smart devices.

Former Doctor Launches Empathetic AI ‘Robyn’ – Ex-Harvard physician has launched Robyn, an AI companion designed to offer emotionally intelligent support rather than therapy. Inspired by isolation’s mental toll during the pandemic, Robyn mimics human memory to build deeper understanding. The app aims to tackle emotional disconnection through safe, empathetic conversations.

AI Spots Tsunami Before It Hit – NASA’s new Guardian AI system just pulled off a stunning first: detecting a tsunami in real time by analyzing GPS signal ripples in the upper atmosphere. The system flagged waves from the 8.8-magnitude Kamchatka quake 30–40 minutes early, marking a major leap in AI-powered disaster prediction that could save countless lives.

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Congress Funds Cybersecurity Amid Shutdown – Congress approved a short-term deal to restore funding for the CISA Act and FCEA, keeping U.S. cyber defenses operational until early 2026. But the shutdown shows no signs of ending — this deal merely pauses the crisis, not resolves it. That highlights how fragile federal tech and security roles remain amid political gridlock.

Meta’s Top AI Mind Eyes New Venture – Yann LeCun, Meta’s chief AI scientist and Turing Award winner, is reportedly preparing to leave to launch his own AI startup focused on “world models.” His move highlights a growing trend of top researchers leaving Big Tech to build independently — signaling shifting career dynamics in the fast-moving AI talent market.

AI Startups Redefine Product-Market Fit – NEA and Iconiq investors say AI founders must rethink how they measure traction as the technology evolves faster than any past innovation cycle. The new benchmark: durability of spend and integration into core business workflows, not experiments. Startups that earn lasting engagement will stand out in a crowded—but consolidating—market.

Firms Waste 20% of Software Budgets – A new Freshworks report finds $1 in every $5 spent on software delivers no return, costing firms up to 7% of annual revenue. Over-engineered tools, poor integrations, and clunky UXs are to blame. With employees juggling 15 apps a day, simplifying tech stacks could save money—and morale.

Sony Raises Profit Forecast by 8% – Sony boosted its annual profit outlook to 1.43 trillion yen ($9.5B), citing lower U.S. tariff impact and surging demand for its anime and chip divisions. Q2 operating profit rose 10%, helped by the hit Kimetsu no Yaiba film. Shares jumped 5.5%, as Sony also announced a ¥100B share buyback.

Wonderful Raises $100M for Global AI Agents – Israeli startup Wonderful secured a $100M Series A led by Index Ventures to expand its multilingual AI customer service agents. Handling tens of thousands of daily requests with an 80% resolve rate, Wonderful plans to launch across Europe and Asia.

AI has made impressive strides in simulating what we call “empathy” in recent years—recognizing emotional cues, mirroring verbal and facial expressions, and even offering comforting responses. A 2025 study found that third‑party evaluators rated AI‑generated empathetic responses as more compassionate than comparable human responders across several experiments. While that sounds promising, it raises a fundamental question: does it mean a machine feels or understands empathy the way humans do?

Human empathy is deeply rooted in experience, context, relational history, and moral understanding. AI‑models may mimic emotional tone, but they lack subjective consciousness and lived experience. Research shows people place higher emotional value on empathy they believe comes from humans, not machines—even when the content is identical. This suggests empathy involves more than correct responses—it involves intent, care, and connection—qualities difficult to encode in algorithms.

At the same time, there’s a practical case for emotionally responsive AI. In healthcare, education, user support, and remote interaction, systems designed with “applied empathy” (that recognize distress, tailor responses, flag human‑help) are proving valuable. Empathy should be seen as “an actionable strategy” in AI transformations—treating emotional intelligence as a driver of trust and effectiveness. However, there is also warnings against assuming AI has empathy. The real net value comes when empathetic AI supports human empathy—filling gaps, not replacing them.

So where does that leave us? Machines may soon match or surpass human‑level performance in empathy‑mimicking tasks, but there’s a gap between looking like empathy and being empathetic. And in settings where trust, moral judgment, presence and authenticity matter most—mental health, leadership, caregiving—human‑centered empathy still holds the edge. That means our best approach is not to fear empathetic machines, but to guide them, partner with them and decide when real empathy must come from a person.

Actionable Insights

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feet is the height of the tallest wave ever recorded—in 1958 at Alaska’s Lituya Bay—caused by a landslide-triggered megatsunami that resulted in five known fatalities.