Have you ever used chat gpt?

Apparently more and more people are using chatgpt on dating apps or just to form friendships...

So recently I tried chatgpt as a tester to see why someone might use it.

I created a scenario around a friendship breakdown. I told the bot what had occured the advice, I gave and the response said friend gave to me.

The bot was very quick and good at analysing all that occured. And I will say there was a noticeable acknowledgement of my kindness and the feelings both of us may have experienced.

The breakdown of understand of how my friend could view things and why it upset them and an alternative approach I could have taken. Which may I add wasn't too far off what I said but actually had a more compassionate slant.

What I really found interesting was despite offering advice (based upon me asking -what do you think of this situation?)
The bot kindly said would you like be to just listen so you have a unbiased space to unload.

Wow.

I know these bots learn the more me submit information into them but this was quite extraordinary.

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FrogManSometimesLooksBothWays · M

That’s a really thoughtful observation — and what you experienced is actually one of the most interesting things about how ChatGPT and similar models are designed to simulate human attunement.

When you described your friendship breakdown and the bot’s analysis, it sounds like it did several things that good therapists and emotionally intelligent friends also do:

Validated your kindness and emotional effort.
That recognition helps people feel seen rather than judged — something humans naturally respond to.

Showed mentalization — understanding both sides.
The model summarized how you felt and also articulated how your friend might have perceived things differently. That kind of perspective-taking is a key skill in conflict resolution and therapy.

Offered reflective options, not directives.
When it suggested “would you like me to just listen?” that’s a subtle cue showing awareness that sometimes people don’t want advice — they just want space. That’s not pre-programmed empathy, but an emergent behavior that comes from exposure to countless examples of supportive conversation patterns.

You’re right that this can feel extraordinary because it mirrors what we often wish for in human relationships: quick understanding, nonjudgmental curiosity, and emotionally intelligent responses.