AI may have the brain. It may even find the courage. But if it only had a heart…
Does AI know what it’s like to lose a family member? Or tell a couple, yes, they’re going to be parents? Has big data ever stayed awake at night with a surgeon preplanning their next day’s operation?
AI is really incredible. It can give you understanding and information—sometimes in seconds. But it’s only as good as its inputs. And still, it’s far from human. That’s why AI alone is not enough.
Empathy First, AI Second: The Emotional Blind Spots of AI
In healthcare, this gap isn’t just philosophical—it’s practical. Patients don’t make decisions based on data alone, and neither do physicians. They act on emotion, instinct, belief, timing, and personal context. And this is where AI so often falls short. It can recommend a treatment plan, but it can’t understand why someone might say no. It can surface trends, but it can’t interpret quiet moments, unspoken concerns, or cultural nuance.
Even in marketing, this blind spot is obvious. We’ve all seen a chatbot misread sarcasm or an automated system send an upbeat message in the wake of tragic news. These systems can personalize, but they can’t connect. They lack lived experience.
And when AI tries to mimic empathy without context or care, it can become chilling. As one ethicist noted: “An AI that fakes empathy is like a sociopath—mimicking the cues without the capacity to feel.”
Predictive Storytelling: AI With a Soul
Our Predictive Storytelling capability was built to address this very gap. At Syneos Health Communications, we combine the power of AI with the emotional insight that only humans can bring—a capability that blends machine learning with lived experience.
It taps into a consumer data hub—our proprietary Empathy Engine—to reveal what drives patient behavior. It integrates insights from more than 15,000 healthcare professionals across the globe via our Mindset Engine, a first-of-its-kind behavioral intelligence platform that tells us how and why doctors make decisions. These platforms are not mirror images—they are distinct, psychologically driven studies that illuminate the unique experiences and emotional realities of both patients and HCPs.
The Empathy Engine and Mindset Engine allow us to identify the tensions and alignments between an HCP’s professional motivations (such as prestige, progress, or certainty) and a patient’s emotional landscape (which may be shaped by low health literacy, low trust, or cultural context). For instance, imagine an oncologist driven by innovation and status navigating treatment with a patient who is skeptical and overwhelmed. That’s not just a data gap—it’s a motivation gap.
Yes, we train AI models—in fact, we’ve built a bespoke methodology that brings together our pharma-specific Engines, our human expertise, and the power of many AI models into one future-forward approach.
By blending AI-driven insights with fit-for-purpose data, we go beyond traditional storytelling. We create strategies that are data-informed, behaviorally precise, and emotionally resonant. This means stories that aren’t just timely—they’re timely and true.
We built it not just for brands. We built it for the people counting on those brands to reach them at the right moment, with the right message—so they can feel seen, understood, and supported. With tears, hope, and optimism.
Why Human Storytelling Still Wins
And the results speak for themselves: Human-centered storytelling increases trust, improves adherence, and drives behavior change. Studies show that patients who trust their providers are 2.6 times more likely to stick to treatment plans. And narrative transportation—the psychological immersion in a story—has been proven to make messaging more persuasive, more memorable, and more meaningful.
This isn’t just theory. In one study, ICU teams who engaged with patient stories reported increased empathy and lower burnout. In another, a theater performance based on real OCD patient experiences helped reduce stigma in the community. Why? Because stories are how we relate. They carry emotion, identity, culture, and ethics. They create belonging. And unlike raw data, they invite us to feel something—something AI simply cannot do.
In a World Full of AI, Humanity Is the Edge
At Syneos Health Communications, we believe in AI’s power—but not in its perfection. AI is a tool. A brilliant one. But it should never replace the human touch. It should amplify it.
We use AI with intention—to make the human story clearer, stronger, and more impactful. Because what AI doesn’t know is what your audience needs most. And that difference? That’s everything.