How Does Perceived Empathy From AI Chatbots Shape Users' Privacy Attitudes, Behaviors, and Needs?

Jiaxun Cao; Hiba Laabadli; Yuntong Xue; Jana Schaich Borg; Pardis Emami-Naeini

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arXiv · 2610.38802

How Does Perceived Empathy From AI Chatbots Shape Users' Privacy Attitudes, Behaviors, and Needs?

Jiaxun Cao·Hiba Laabadli·Yuntong Xue·Jana Schaich Borg·Pardis Emami-Naeini

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Abstract

Prior research suggests that some dimensions of AI empathy may increase users' disclosure to chatbots, posing growing privacy risks as chatbots become more capable of empathic interaction. Yet this work often conceptualizes AI empathy narrowly, leaving users' own definitions and their broader privacy experiences unexplored. We interviewed 21 AI Chatbot users about what AI empathy meant to them and how it shaped their privacy attitudes, behaviors, and needs. Participants characterized empathy through five components--understanding, resonating, caring, expressing, and helping. Most participants viewed resonating and caring as essential components of human empathy but absent from AI empathy. Yet AI's contextual, in-depth understanding and helpfulness still encouraged highly sensitive disclosure. This highlights that AI empathy can endanger users' privacy without necessarily making AI seem human. Participants also desired varied forms and levels of empathy, each associated with distinct privacy needs. We offer actionable recommendations for designing privacy-enhancing mechanisms for empathic AI interactions.

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Jiaxun Cao, Hiba Laabadli, Yuntong Xue, Jana Schaich Borg, Pardis Emami-Naeini. 2026-10-28. How Does Perceived Empathy From AI Chatbots Shape Users' Privacy Attitudes, Behaviors, and Needs?. https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.38802

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