LSN : News : Stat: Empathy emerges as the ultimate business advantage

Claude’s Keep Thinking campaign positions AI agent as problem-solving tool

Anthropic, US

Global – In a new campaign entitled Keep Thinking, AI agent Claude is framed as the go-to tool for problem-solvers.

Launched with independent UK-based agency Mother, the advertisement positions Claude as a partner capable of amplifying human intelligence, showing how humans and AI can co-create solutions to a range of problems.

This echoes insights from our report, The Synthocene Era: Merging Human and Machine Intelligence, in which we explore how human and AI co-creation are blurring the lines between what is natural and what is artificial.

The campaign arrives as users increasingly rely on Claude for complex tasks – from debugging code to analysing dense research and developing new products – cutting work that once took weeks down to hours. The 90-second film captures this ethos, showcasing the moment a problem becomes an invitation.

Strategic opportunity

Position AI as a co-creator by designing campaigns, tools or services that showcase how humans and machines can solve problems together, reframing complexity as an opportunity for innovation

Mulberry accelerates growth with circular exchange initiatives

UK – Mulberry has published its 2024/2025 Impact Report, highlighting major progress in circularity and regenerative design.

Having achieved B Corp certification, the luxury brand continues to embed sustainability at the centre of its governance, sourcing and community-driven craftsmanship, focusing on three strategic pillars: Climate, Circularity and Community.

A standout success this year has been The Mulberry Exchange, which surpassed £1m ($1.35m, €1.2m) in annual sales for the first time – representing 42% growth since its debut at London Fashion Week in 2020. To date, more than 7,000 pre-loved Mulberry bags have been re-homed across online and in-store channels, signalling the growing commercial and cultural relevance of luxury resale.

With partnerships in regenerative leather and industry collaborations, Mulberry is positioning itself as a model for how legacy brands can align heritage with a regenerative future while building tangible commercial results.

For more brands disrupting the market with upscaled marketing initiatives, luxury partnerships and circularity-led retail concepts, head to our Rebranding Resale report.

Mulberry and Ahluwalia, UK

Strategic opportunity

By investing in resale, repair and regenerative sourcing, brands can strengthen cultural relevance, attract sustainability-minded consumers and unlock new growth channels. How can your business embed similar models that balance commercial performance with long-term impact?

Stat: Empathy emerges as the ultimate business advantage

Board of Dinner XAI for Empathy Project by Deep Food and Joseph Wan is a recipe generator exploring how explainable AI (XAI) can foster empathy through food, The Netherlands

Global – A study from Zurich Insurance released in September 2025 shows that consumers reward businesses that demonstrate empathy while punishing those that fail to do so.

The report, Addressing the Empathy Gap: How Human Connection Can Give Businesses a New Competitive Edge, was developed with Stanford neuroscientist Dr Jamil Zaki and followed a survey of more than 11,500 consumers across 11 countries.

Some 73% of respondents said they would avoid using companies that showed a lack of empathy towards their situation or circumstances. Three in five consumers surveyed (60%) said they only used companies that genuinely cared about them and their needs. What’s more, 43% of those surveyed have left a brand in the past due to a lack of empathy and a further 61% would be willing to pay more for a brand that genuinely cares.

While AI is valued for efficiency, 71% of respondents believe it cannot replicate authentic emotional connection, and 92% still prefer human interaction over 24/7 availability. Empathy is especially important in financial services, with 88% of consumers expecting it, yet only 63% believe the industry delivers.

Find more insights on empathetic commerce in our analysis of NRF 2025 Retail’s Big Show Europe.

Strategic opportunity

Consider how to embed empathy into the customer experience; for instance, could you audit your customer journey for points where frustration, confusion or stress arise and redesign those moments with proactive care and emotional intelligence?