Emotional artificial intelligence and internal communication are two concepts that are beginning to intertwine as technology advances in understanding human emotions. This new technological frontier presents promising future uses, opportunities, and threats if not properly regulated.
In addition, we will explore the essential role that internal communication must continue to play in strengthening relationships among people within organizations.
What is emotional artificial intelligence (EAI)?
Emotional artificial intelligence represents an evolution of traditional AI, as it seeks to interpret human emotions through biometric data, facial expressions, and tone of voice.
Although its mass application does not yet exist, it is already generating intense ethical debates and predictions of use in sectors such as healthcare, education, and customer service.
This concept emerged in 1997, when Rosalind Picard published her book Affective computing, explaining how computer science could influence human emotions. From that research, a field of study emerged that shaped what we now know as emotional artificial intelligence.
Interpreting and responding to human emotions
The purpose of EAI is to interpret, identify, and respond to human emotions using technologies capable of reading facial microexpressions, voice changes, digital behavior, and physiological reactions.
Although tech companies are already developing systems that analyze biometric variables to anticipate emotions, their implementation in daily life and work contexts is still incipient.
Thus, questions remain: will AI be able to read emotions accurately? How will its use be regulated to prevent bias, privacy violations, and manipulation in the workplace?
Future applications of emotional artificial intelligence
According to the report Emotional AI Market: Forecasts from 2025 to 2030 by Research And Markets,
the EAI market is expected to grow at an annual rate of 11.73%, reaching $7.655 billion by 2030, compared to $4.397 billion in 2025.
In particular, experts anticipate applications in the following organizational sectors:
Mental health
EAI could detect symptoms of anxiety or depression through voice and facial expression analysis, allowing for earlier and more tailored interventions.
Education
Emotional technology would personalize educational content based on the student’s emotional state, improving their learning experience and enhancing their performance.
Customer service
By interpreting the emotional tone in conversations, customer service systems based on emotional artificial intelligence could adjust responses, providing more empathetic and efficient service.
Smart vehicles
Vehicles equipped with EAI would recognize signs of fatigue, stress, or distraction in drivers, thereby increasing road safety.
However, there are still no concrete applications of emotional artificial intelligence in internal communication or sufficient evidence to support its effectiveness in that area.
Threats and ethical dilemmas of emotional AI
Just as this emerging and new artificial intelligence offers benefits, it raises potential dilemmas when applied in reality. The main risk of this technology is that, without proper regulation, experts suggest it could lead to:
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Invasion of people’s emotional privacy
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Cultural biases in emotion interpretation
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Emotional manipulation for commercial or corporate purposes
- Loss of the human dimension in everyday interactions
For all these reasons, ethical regulation will be essential for the safe development of emotional artificial intelligence in companies.
What could happen in organizations?
In the organizational field, imagining systems that analyze emotions during virtual meetings or measure organizational mood without consent raises profound ethical concerns.
Moreover, the use of emotional information without clear agreements could pose a threat to the emotional health of teams.
In this regard, studies such as the one by IIEE Xplore, indicate that the use of EAI could lead to harmful outcomes such as discrimination and racism if implemented in areas like recruitment and performance evaluations.
Personalized experiences for customers with emotional AI
On the other hand, companies today have access to multiple behavioral data. While new applications are being explored, it is known that emotional artificial intelligence can provide more personalized and satisfying experiences for customers.
Emotional bots: a new generation of customer service
A concrete example is bots powered by EAI, which differ from conventional bots because they:
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- Are based on machine learning algorithms, deep learning, and sentiment analysis
- Detect, interpret, and respond to customer emotions
- Adapt their responses based on the emotional signals they receive from users
Thanks to these capabilities, emotional bots enable more empathetic interaction, adapting their responses based on the emotional cues they interpret from users.
The relevance of internal communication in the face of technological advances
In this scenario, internal communication maintains an essential and current role. Because beyond technological advances, human emotions are complex, variable, and deeply contextual.
No algorithm can replace real empathy or the care of relationships within an organization.
Key principles to strengthen internal communication
From our perspective as a global internal communication agency, we reaffirm that:
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- Connecting people remains the priority
- Active listening, dialogue spaces, and human channels are irreplaceable
- Technology can support, but not replace, authentic conversation
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The current challenge for companies is not to predict emotions with AI, but to cultivate healthy, transparent, and empathetic organizational cultures.
- Connecting people remains the priority
Emotional artificial intelligence and internal communication
Emotional artificial intelligence opens a fascinating debate about the limits of technology in emotional management. Although its concrete application is under development and its arrival in mass work environments still seems distant, it is already necessary to anticipate its ethical dilemmas.
