Emotional AI (or affective computing) aims to equip machines with the ability to detect, interpret, and even respond to human emotions. From smart assistants that sense frustration to customer service bots that adjust tone, emotional AI is reshaping how we interact with technology.

These systems use facial recognition, voice tone analysis, body language, and even physiological signals like heart rate to assess emotional states. AI can already detect emotions like happiness, anger, or sadness with surprising accuracy—at least in controlled settings.

The potential is vast. Emotional AI could improve mental health care, personalize education, and make digital experiences more human. Imagine an AI therapist that senses when you're distressed or a car that pulls over if it detects driver stress.

But it’s not without controversy. Critics worry about surveillance, manipulation, and emotional profiling. Can a machine really understand feelings, or is it just reading patterns?

Emotional AI isn’t about making machines feel—it’s about helping them respond to how we feel. Done right, it could bring a more empathetic dimension to our increasingly digital lives.