Can agent's behavior modification influence empathy from people?

As AI technology develops, the relationship between people and agents is becoming increasingly important as more agents are used in human society. One way to improve this relationship is to increase empathy for the agent. In this study, to increase empathy toward the agent, an agent was envisioned that assists participants in reflecting on traffic safety. Focusing on the agent’s attitude and behavior modification, three hypotheses were investigated through experimental testing. The results of experiment showed an interaction between the agent’s behavior modification and the before/after factors, indicating that a positive behavior modification maintains empathy for the agent. This research reveals an approach that promotes the social use of agents by people, which is necessary for the social coexistence of people and agents.