Silent Connection: Silence as Empathic Care in Conversational AI Design
Vafafar, Melika, Joel-Edgar, Sian, Dabbagh, Hossein, Ang, Jim and Harteveld, Casper (2026) Silent Connection: Silence as Empathic Care in Conversational AI Design. In: ACM CHI - Empathy Workshop, 13-17th April, Barcelona.
Abstract
Empathy in conversational AI is treated as a property of system output; however, this paper argues that such a framing is limiting, particularly in affective support, where care is often shown through presence and timing rather than words alone. We reposition empathy in conversational AI as an act of care rather than a simulated capability, and focus on silence as a central design mechanism. Drawing on literature from HCI, psychology, and care ethics, we conceptualise silence not as error or breakdown, but as an ethical interactional choice that can support emotional regulation and reduce cognitive and emotional overload. This position paper contributes (1) a care-oriented reconceptualisation of empathy in conversational AI, (2) an articulation of silence as an empathic act with ethical stakes, and (3) implications for the design and evaluation of AI systems in emotionally sensitive domains.
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