AI Emotional Intelligence Outperforms Humans
Source: neurosciencenews.com
AI Excels in Emotional Intelligence Assessments
A study from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and the University of Bern (UniBE) evaluated six generative AIs, including ChatGPT, using emotional intelligence (EI) tests. The AI systems achieved higher scores than humans, suggesting potential applications in emotionally sensitive fields.
The team tested whether AI could appropriately respond in emotionally charged situations. The AI systems not only outperformed average human performance but also generated new tests quickly. The study is published in Communications Psychology.
Large Language Models (LLMs) can process and generate human language and solve complex problems. The question was whether they can also suggest emotionally intelligent behavior.
Testing AI's Emotional Capabilities
Researchers from UniBE and UNIGE’s Swiss Center for Affective Sciences (CISA) used emotional intelligence tests on six LLMs (ChatGPT-4, ChatGPT-o1, Gemini 1.5 Flash, Copilot 365, Claude 3.5 Haiku, and DeepSeek V3). According to Katja Schlegel, the tests involved emotionally charged scenarios assessing the ability to understand, regulate, and manage emotions.
For example, in one scenario, if a colleague steals an idea and receives congratulations, the most effective response would be to discuss the situation with a superior.
The LLMs scored significantly higher, with 82% correct answers compared to 56% for humans, suggesting the AI systems understand emotions and emotionally intelligent behavior, according to Marcello Mortillaro.
AI Creates New EI Tests
In a second phase, ChatGPT-4 created new emotional intelligence tests with new scenarios. Over 400 participants took these tests. Katja Schlegel noted that these tests proved as reliable, clear, and realistic as the original tests, which had taken years to develop.
Marcello Mortillaro added that LLMs can find the best answer and generate new scenarios, reinforcing the idea that they possess emotional knowledge and can reason about emotions.
These findings suggest AI can be used in education, coaching, or conflict management, with expert supervision.