AI has been evolving at an incredible speed with ever expanding use cases in multiple industries. While AI is helping us analyze patterns from massive data, further demands are rising. One of them is empathetic intelligence.
如今人工智能的飞速发展，应用也越来越广泛。人们渐渐不满足于使用人工智能来分析海量数据，提出了更多的诉求。其中之一就是让机器懂得分析人类的情绪。
Why do we need Empathetic Intelligence? 需求从何而来？
Machines are getting smarter with AI. However, they are still machines. They can read patterns, but cannot read your mind. Their patience can be annoying when they get you wrong.
That’s why people is asking for empathetic intelligence to make the machines at a higher level of automation.
有了人工智能加持，机器越来越聪明。然而再聪明也还是机器，读得懂白纸黑字读不懂空气。你一定有过跟机器鸡同鸭讲的时候吧，它们的耐心是不是让你很烦躁？人们要机器变得更智能，更自动化，这就是这个需求背后的驱使力。
Source: flickr
Technologies Behind 核心技术
Empathetic Intelligence is based on emotion AI, which leverages facial and speech recognition to detect, analyze, process and respond to people's emotional states.
The technology needs to be improved to correctly recognize the subtle changes of expression, voice, heart rate, etc.
要读懂情绪，Emotion AI (情感智能)是背后的核心。其实概念很简单，就是通过捕捉表情、音调、心跳、肢体语言等数据来分析一个人当前的情绪。
然而这些方面的变化可能非常细微。因此要正确获取信息并正确解读，技术上仍然有待提高。
Where is Empathetic Intelligence going? 应用场景
It can be applied to many use cases which involves human machine interactions. For example,
Customer service
Perhaps you’ve already experienced the service provided by a Chatbot. With Empathetic Intelligence, chatbots can tell that you’re angry from your voice and provide better services.
如果机器能读懂情绪，那应用场景真的相当广阔了。但凡涉及跟人交流的场景都可以用上。比如，
客服
你也许已经体验过机器人客服了。就我的体验来说，基本上都无法令人满意，只想快点转到人工服务去。如果机器能读懂情绪，它能根据你的语音语调分析你现在情绪，然后提供更好的服务。
Source: pixabay
Entertainment 娱乐
There was a RPG game called Nioh launched last year.
Some levels were so difficult that I want to through the PS4 handle away. Of course I had to pick the handle up and continue. But the experience was so frustrating. With empathetic intelligence, machine can adjust the difficulty based on gamer’s anxiety.
去年有个角色扮演游戏叫仁王。有些关卡难的反人类，只想怒摔手柄。然而摔了也只是一时之快，还是要捡回来继续。这游戏体验真可谓找虐了。如果机器能分析人类情绪，它就能根据玩家的情绪适当调整难度。是不是皆大欢喜？
Healthcare 医疗
Wearable devices equipped with Empathetic Intelligence can be patient’s loyal company and report incidents in timely manner.
可穿戴设备加上情感智能分析，可以有效陪伴和监护病人，及时汇报动态。
Source: pixabay
Challenges 挑战
All sound good?
However, challenges exist. For empathetic intelligence, they can be huge – the ethical issues.
What if the machines read the emotions wrong?
In the use cases we mentioned above, it can lead to financial loss. What if the technology is applied to public security and law enforcement? It could lead to disasters...
What if the machines read the emotions perfectly? Do we still want to make friends with people?
What's your thoughts? Please feel free to comment.
一切听上去是不是都很完美？
跟所有技术一样，情感智能面临挑战，而且是来自道德伦理层面的巨大挑战。如果机器读错了情绪，在之前提及的三个场景中，可能会导致客户流失和经济损失。但如果是运用在安防、法律方面呢？那问题可就大了。。。
如果机器读情绪堪称完美，我们还会热衷于跟人类交朋友吗？那可是真的应验了——为什么要谈恋爱，是手机不好玩还是酒不好喝？
你怎么看呢？欢迎留言讨论。