AI's Rising Role in Career Advice, But Human Empathy Still Vital in Leadership
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Gemini are increasingly being recognised for their potential in providing career advice and even displaying emotional intelligence, but human empathy remains indispensable in leadership roles, according to recent studies.
A 2023 Workplace Intelligence survey revealed that 47% of younger employees in the U.S. find AI like ChatGPT more helpful than their managers for career advice. However, a 2025 study involving over 6,000 adults from the U.K. and the U.S. showed that people still value human empathy over AI empathy, feeling more cared for when empathy comes from a human.
Dr. Katja Schlegel, a researcher at the University of Bern, emphasises the importance of human empathy in building trust and commitment within teams, despite AI's usefulness in providing advice and action plans. This sentiment is echoed by Dr. Fabiola Gerpott, a professor of leadership at the WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management, who warns that neglecting empathy could make human qualities seem replaceable by algorithms.
A 2024 field study of 400 Chinese delivery riders and several experiments involving 2,350 U.S. adults found that AI leaders are perceived as less caring than human leaders, especially in emotionally charged situations. This perception poses a challenge to human leaders as societal beliefs about AI evolve, as shown in a 2023 study of 310 English-speaking adults.
In a surprising turn, a 2025 study found that large language models like ChatGPT and Gemini outperformed humans on standard emotional intelligence tests, achieving 81% accuracy compared to the human average of 56%. This development raises questions about AI's potential to replace humans in roles requiring advanced social and emotional abilities.
While AI and Gemini are demonstrating impressive emotional intelligence and can provide valuable career advice, human empathy remains crucial in leadership roles for building trust, commitment, and identity within teams. As AI continues to develop qualities like humor, creativity, and negotiation skills, human leaders must not neglect empathy to maintain their irreplaceable role in the workplace.
