Can brands automate emotional intelligence?

Intelligence is the ability to gather information and apply it to the human experience. This was true when silicon was just a shiny rock, and it's true now that machines are becoming more intelligent. Businesses today need to deliver a different kind of intelligence: a high emotional quotient (EQ), which Harvard theorist Howard Gardner describes as the ability to understand what motivates another person and how to meet their needs. EQ (otherwise known as emotional intelligence) is mostly used to describe people--a friend's ability to empathize with a difficult situation, a manager adapting her approach to an employee's work style, or a salesperson relating to a potential buyer. It turns out that EQ is also important for businesses.