In an interview with Influencia, Elodie Barlow and Karine Mast reflect on the trend report developed by o3. They notably explore the role of the 27 human emotions—a nuanced and deeply embodied spectrum that artificial intelligence still struggles to replicate.

Influencia: What is your area of expertise?

Elodie Barlow: The Trend Report was developed by O3, the strategic and creative hub of the Oxygen Group. We provide brands and executives with concrete communication solutions to address their business challenges. Whether we are tackling a loss of market share, the need to align teams, or recruitment difficulties, our conviction remains the same: communication must serve progress. In other words, it should contribute to achieving an ideal that goes beyond mere performance. It is time to rethink communication in order to restore its full transformative power.

IN.: Are advertisers receptive to your expertise?

E.B.: Fortunately, they are. We support players in sectors such as healthcare, food, energy, and education—industries that are closely aligned with this idea of progress beyond performance. Our Trend Report demonstrates that emotions and the human dimension are powerful drivers at the heart of a communication approach focused on progress. For example, we defined Vivien Paille’s purpose as “benefactors of the plant-based world”—a term that captures the full nuance of their positioning. By adopting a human, even humanistic lens, and analyzing emotional dynamics in relation to business challenges, we were able to arrive at this semi-neologism that defines the company. It is a purpose that clearly reflects this idea of communication as a force for progress. The true value of communication lies in creativity—and creativity draws from the complexity of the human emotional fabric, which we explore in the Trend Report.

IN.: Generative AI raises concerns, with some fearing a “great replacement” of humans by machines. What is your perspective?

Karine Mast: We prefer to speak of complementarity. We do not believe in companies without human workers. As for machines endowed with consciousness, we sought to demonstrate in our report that emotion—and its 27 gradients—is inherently human. Let’s use the levers available to us. Emotions offer a depth of experience that current technologies cannot fully reproduce or replace, particularly in the way they intertwine with reasoning to form our unique intelligence. We must not confuse innovation with progress. AI is an innovation, but it will only serve progress if used properly by humans. While AI can assist us by analyzing more data faster than our brains, it is not capable of imagination or creativity—the very fuel of strategy.

E.B.: What AI reveals, quite bluntly—and this may be unsettling for some—is that the true value of communication lies in creativity… and creativity draws from the complexity of the human emotional fabric, which we explore in the Trend Report. Today more than ever, it is urgent, important, and necessary to grasp all the nuances of our actions.

K.M.: Henri Bergson, the early 20th-century French philosopher, viewed creativity as an essential vital force. In Creative Evolution (1907), he develops the concept of élan vital, a creative force that drives not only biological evolution but also human activity. For him, creativity is not merely an artistic skill, but a fundamental dimension of human existence. Humans do not simply reproduce—they have an intrinsic need to create the new, the unpredictable. Creativity, for Bergson, is an expression of human freedom: the ability to transcend determinism and constantly invent. Creation is not a passive act, but a deeply dynamic one that engages the full power of the human mind.

E.B.: Moreover, somewhat unexpectedly, we believe AI will help revalorize human experience—intrinsically linked to lived experience and perception. These “life and career lessons,” which ultimately shape our intuition, are not easily transferable to or by AI. A reassuring thought for professionals in their forties navigating the agency world. Generative AI will likely push us to become far more demanding creatively and to reconnect with what makes us deeply human, both individually and collectively—which is ultimately a positive development.

IN.: Let’s return to these 27 emotions. What are they, and who defined them?

E.B.: Our Trend Report draws on a U.S. study published by the University of California in 2022, titled Self-report captures 27 distinct categories of emotion bridged by continuous gradients. This groundbreaking research identified 27 distinct emotional categories through participant self-assessment. It shows that emotions are not isolated states, but exist along a continuum with fluid transitions between them. This challenges traditional models that classify emotions into fixed categories, offering instead a more dynamic and fluid understanding of emotional life.

Think about it: your experiences, your memories, your relationships—everything that makes you unique. Can a machine truly grasp this complexity? We are not convinced.

IN.: What do you mean by “emotional AI”? Does it already exist?

K.M.: What we aim to demonstrate in our report is that emotional intelligence is deeply human. While emotional AI holds significant potential across various applications—such as customer service, where virtual assistants can deliver more personalized interactions, or healthcare, where it can help monitor emotional states and tailor interventions—we question its depth. Even if AI can detect and respond to emotions in sophisticated ways, can it truly understand what we feel at our core? Can it grasp the complexity of lived experience? We are not so sure. A machine can simulate joy or sadness in their most obvious forms—but what about that bittersweet melancholy felt at sunset, when it reminds us of a loved one?

IN.: Can AI replicate these 27 emotions?

E.B.: The study we mentioned shows that human emotional richness acts as an almost instinctive barrier against the mechanization of narratives. Authentic human experience is characterized by simultaneous emotional contradictions, subtle nuances in expression, and non-linear transitions between emotional states—elements AI still struggles to replicate. So to answer your question: not yet. Emotional complexity, rooted in personal and collective experience, is a deeply human signature that AI can only approximate.

K.M.: These 27 emotions exist across infinite spectrums and can manifest simultaneously, sometimes in contradictory ways. We can feel admiration and envy at once, joy tinged with nostalgia. This emotional complexity, rooted in both personal and collective experience, is a uniquely human signature. Where artificial systems skim the surface, emotion goes deeper—intertwined with reason. It builds invisible connections, unites minds, and drives action. Authentic emotion resonates with our lived experience, nourishing both reflection and connection.

IN.: You mention a tension between polarizing communication—focused on power and provocation—and new forms of emotional expression. What do you mean?

E.B.: Integrating the 27 categories of emotions into our strategy at Oxygen transforms our approach to communication. It allows us to create campaigns and content that build genuine emotional connections with nuance. This research highlights the authenticity inherent in emotions: what truly moves us does not lie—it reflects a personal truth worthy of attention. By acknowledging emotional complexity, brands can build deeper, more lasting relationships with their audiences.

K.M.: Take the example of The Crown and what we call post-creativity, or creative imperfection. This Netflix series shows how contemporary creativity thrives in the ambiguous space between history and fiction, with an emotional depth that algorithms cannot capture. It is not a simple factual retelling, but an artistic construction that transcends raw history. Where AI would produce a linear, optimized narrative, The Crown relies on human intuition, nuance, and subtext. Its strength lies in navigating emotional gray areas and embracing contradictions. This emotional richness—beyond the reach of algorithms—is where true creative innovation lies today.

E.B.: Contemporary public communication reflects a deep contradiction: we oscillate between approaches that trigger our most primitive instincts and others that invite a more nuanced, complex humanity.

IN.: Do you have a concrete example?

E.B.: Trump’s rhetoric, for instance, embodies a confrontational language—almost “animalistic” in its binary simplicity—that activates tribal defense mechanisms. In contrast, emerging forms of communication propose a more sophisticated dialogue, capable of building deeper and more authentic connections. This tension is not just linguistic—it is existential. It reflects our ability to move beyond survival instincts toward more evolved forms of relationship. AI, in its current state, can easily reproduce simplistic, binary discourse, but it cannot capture the full richness of human emotion.

IN.: What does “rehumanizing content” mean? Is it risky?

K.M.: Rehumanizing content means placing authentic emotion and human complexity back at the heart of the narratives and messages we create. In an era dominated by algorithms and automation, it means reconnecting with what truly resonates with lived experience. Embracing the full spectrum of 27 emotions exposes us to vulnerability, imperfection, and uncertainty—but these “fragilities” are precisely our strength. It is not dangerous—it is necessary. The real danger would be to continue prioritizing technical efficiency over emotional resonance, optimizing for machines at the expense of human connection.

E.B.: Fully embracing emotional complexity invites us to explore ambiguity, contradictions, and shadow areas—everything that enriches human experience. It is not a rejection of technology, but an invitation to use it in service of our shared humanity, to amplify connections rather than simulate or replace them.

IN.: The world is increasingly polarized. Figures like Musk and Trump embody a caricature of power. What can AI do against this simplification?

K.M.: I’m not sure AI can solve polarization—but communication can. We still believe in the power of thoughtful, balanced communication—one that avoids manipulation and oversimplification. That is precisely the goal of our Trend Report: to demonstrate the power of nuanced messaging.

E.B.: In a world where opinions are becoming more extreme, we believe that subtlety and depth in communication can still make a difference. Our approach goes against the grain of an era that favors shortcuts and oversimplification. We are convinced that by restoring nuance in communication, we can collectively move beyond this cognitive impasse.

IN.: What are the broader implications beyond communication?

K.M.: Misused, AI could push us back toward archaic communication patterns, prioritizing speed and immediate emotional impact over depth and nuance. Like any industrial and cognitive revolution, AI raises major cognitive, existential, and philosophical questions.

E.B.: Even if the stakes go beyond communication, communication sits at the heart of this turning point. More than ever, communicators carry a significant responsibility and must rethink their approaches. That is one of the reasons behind this Trend Report: our belief that only nuanced, creativity-driven communication can generate progress and value. The challenge is to maintain critical thinking, to use AI as a tool to enhance collective intelligence—without falling into the trap of oversimplification.