Is technology killing empathy? Studies suggest that empathy is on the wane and technology might be partly to blame. From self-care to selfies, fail videos to filter bubbles, existential loneliness to righteous outrage, we are confronting the possibility that human-centered practice hasn't created human-centered technology.
As if we needed more proof, technologists are now trying to solve the "empathy problem" with emotional AI, VR, and chatbots. One thing is clear, empathy is more than a step in the design process or a new feature to add on. In this talk, we'll consider what it might mean to design technology for cultivating a cohesive society where fellow feeling flourishes.