If Your AI Tool Tries to Read Feelings, You Need to Take Action Immediately

Dutch regulators are questioning emotion AI and its impact on society. Could this spell the end for mood-detecting tech?

The Dutch privacy regulators just closed a public consultation on emotion-detecting AI. From creepy job interviews to mood-reading cameras, this AI tech is under serious fire. If your AI-based product touches emotions, even a little, you will want to see what’s brewing in the Netherlands.

🇳🇱 Netherlands Shuts the Door (For Now) on Emotion AI: What It Means for Tech Founders and Product Teams

If you are building with AI, or even just watching from the sidelines, then this one’s worth a close look. The Netherlands’ Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens or AP) has just closed a public consultation on the use of “emotion AI” in society. And the message was clear: proceed with caution, if at all.

This regulation is tackling the rising trend of companies scanning faces, voices, and behavioural patterns to guess how someone feels, and regulators drawing a clear red line around it.

So let’s dig into what’s actually happened, why the Dutch are doing this now, and what it signals for anyone working in AI or using it to build customer experiences, marketing tools, or workplace products.

First, What Is Emotion AI, and Why Is It So Controversial?

Emotion AI is a branch of artificial intelligence that claims to read and interpret human emotions. Think facial recognition tech that says, This person looks frustrated, or a job interview system that flags candidates as too nervous. Some tools use tone of voice, eye movement, or even heart rate data.

Sounds futuristic? It’s already here. Companies are embedding emotion AI into customer service bots, hiring software, education platforms, and even smart city surveillance.