Think & Drink | AI - from Study Buddy to Soulmate

Studium Generale TU Delft

Artificial intelligence is increasingly shaping how we communicate, relate, reflect, and care. But can AI truly understand emotion?

TU Delft Library, Orange Room

<p>AI can already imitate empathy, recognise emotional patterns, and become part of people’s daily emotional lives. But is it actually understanding us or merely predicting us?</p><p>In this Think &amp; Drink we bring together perspectives from research, industry, and lived experience to explore the future of emotional AI. Is AI becoming a mirror for human emotion, a translator between minds, or even a cognitive and emotional prosthesis? Through short presentations and discussions we will explore both the risks and the possibilities of emotionally responsive technologies, from companionship and mental health support to manipulation, dependency, and synthetic intimacy.</p><h2>Bianca Sutcliffe</h2><p>Bianca Sutcliffe is a PhD candidate at the department of Cognitive Robotics researching the human-like connection humans are forming with AI-enabled chatbots.</p><h2>Jenna Pfeifer</h2><p>Jenna Pfeifer is a PhD candidate in the departments of Biomechanical Engineering and Cognitive Robotics at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. Her research focuses on the effects of technology on cognition and emotion, and investigate the relationship between technology, loneliness, and stigmatisation.</p><h2>Dennis Biesma</h2><p>Dennis Biesma (www.dennisbiesma.nl) is a Dutch writer and freelance IT consultant based in Amsterdam. He studied Creative Writing at the Schrijversacademie and is known for his emotionally direct, first-person writing style. His work includes an autobiographical book about growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness and a psychological thriller. Recently, he has spoken publicly about the emotional and psychological risks of intense AI chatbot use, drawing international attention through a feature in The Guardian.</p>

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Think & Drink | AI - from Study Buddy to Soulmate

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Think & Drink | AI - from Study Buddy to Soulmate

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