I asked ChatGPT if AI can be empathetic: The answer surprised me

April 1, 2026

In his Pharma Live byline, Pleio CEO Michael Oleksiw puts empathetic AI to the test starting with a direct question to ChatGPT. The answer cuts to the heart of what the industry needs to hear: AI can simulate empathy, but it can’t feel it. In healthcare, where trust, emotional presence, and human judgment determine whether patients stay on therapy, that distinction isn’t semantic, it’s consequential.