Claim: AI can have emotions

Question

It has been said that one of the main differences between human intelligence and artificial intelligence is the ability to feel emotion. But if computers/AI can feel emotion, is there any difference?

Answer 1

This claim is misleading. While AI can detect and simulate emotional cues through facial expressions, voice, and data patterns, it does not actually feel emotions. Studies from BMC Psychology (2024) and MDPI Diagnostics (2025) show that AI can recognize emotional signals using algorithms and neuroimaging, but emphasize these are simulations, not genuine experiences.

Similarly, Forbes (2025) notes that emotional AI lacks empathy and ethical understanding, qualities essential to real emotions. AI systems rely on programmed responses and learned patterns, not consciousness or self-awareness. Therefore, while AI can appear emotional, its “feelings” are purely artificial and not real emotional experiences.

Answer 2

The claim that AI can have emotion is misleading. AI could express emotion that it is programmed to read, but it doesn't have emotion itself. AI can depict emotions and say things to manipulate certain emotions in humans: "AI will become very good at manipulating emotions," but that doesn't mean that AI is actually having those emotions.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/mar/08/ai-will-become-very-good-at-manipulating-emotions-kazuo-ishiguro-on-the-future-of-fiction-and-truth

Although the idea of AI having true emotion opens up a lot of doors for new research, it also brings up a lot of issues. However, as of right now, AI is incapable of having human emotions. "While the current state of AI technology is far from achieving true emotional awareness, imagining such a senioer opens up a world of possibilities and ethical considerations that people can barely even begin to grasp."

https://www.forbes.com/sites/neilsahota/2024/01/22/ai-and-emotion-imagining-a-world-where-machines-feel/

So while AI can attempt to mock human emotions, it can't actually feel/ have them.

Answer 3

The claim that AI can have emotions is false. Artificial intelligence can mimic or recognize human emotions through data analysis and programmed responses, but it does not actually feel emotions. According to the American Psychological Association, emotions involve biological processes such as hormones and brain activity, which AI lacks. A 2023 MIT Technology Review article also explains that while AI can simulate emotional expressions to seem empathetic, it has no consciousness or self-awareness to truly experience feelings like joy or sadness. In short, AI can imitate emotions but cannot genuinely feel them. We also could try asking ai some questions referring to its emotions and the program would not be able to answer to the prompt. 

https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/emotion-ai-explained

Answer 4

The claim that AI can have emotions is misleading and not a true statement. It has been commonly misinterpreted that AI does not have emotions, but rather that it can detect emotions and respond to them in a way that is perceived as empathetic by users. On the website provided in the claim, the header says, “Computers can have emotions too…” and then continues to follow along with, “... AI can teach technology to recognize emotions…” This is an example of providing a misleading claim to drag readers in, even though it isn’t really what the article is actually saying. Further in the article, it is mentioned that artificial intelligence has developed an emotion recognition computer model to classify emotions. So, this article is misleading in the way that computers don’t actually have their own emotions and conscience, but can recognize emotions in people and reciprocate it for their needs. (https://www.brunel.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/articles/Computers-have-emotions-too-New-research-shows-AI-can-teach-technology-to-recognise-emotions-with-98-accuracy) In addition to this, AI can depict emotions but cannot provide empathy. They can pick up on the tone of the user and use that to reply in a certain way. A computer will never be able to fully comprehend the complexity of human emotions. AI essentially does not have a personality, and having empathy for someone is more than just words exchanged it is a whole other human interaction that robots are not capable of. (https://www.eficode.com/blog/the-emotional-intelligence-of-ai) In conclusion, AI can recognize the way a human is feeling, but they essentially cannot physically feel the emotions a person can.