As　a　global　health　crisis,　the　COVID-19　pandemic　has　also　made　heavy　mental　and　emotional　tolls　become　shared　experiences　of　global　communities,　especially　among　females　who　were　affected　more　by　the　pandemic　than　males　for　anxiety　and　depression.　By　connecting　multiple　facets　of　empathy　as　key　mechanisms　of　information　processing　with　the　communication　theory　of　resilience,　the　present　study　examines　human-AI　interactions　during　the　COVID-19　pandemic　in　order　to　understand　digitally　mediated　empathy　and　how　the　intertwining　of　empathic　and　communicative　processes　of　resilience　works　as　coping　strategies　for　COVID-19　disruption.　Mixed　methods　were　adopted　to　explore　the　using　experiences　and　effects　of　Replika,　a　chatbot　companion　powered　by　AI,　with　ethnographic　research,　in-depth　interviews,　and　grounded　theory-based　analysis.　Findings　of　this　research　extend　empathy　theories　from　interpersonal　communication　to　human-AI　interactions　and　show　five　types　of　digitally　mediated　empathy　among　Chinese　female　Replika　users　with　varying　degrees　of　cognitive　empathy,　affective　empathy,　and　empathic　response　involved　in　the　information　processing　processes,　i.e.,　companion　buddy,　responsive　diary,　emotion-handling　program,　electronic　pet,　and　tool　for　venting.　When　processing　information　obtained　from　AI　and　collaborative　interactions　with　the　AI　chatbot,　multiple　facets　of　mediated　empathy　become　unexpected　pathways　to　resilience　and　enhance　users’　well-being.　This　study　fills　the　research　gap　by　exploring　empathy　and　resilience　processes　in　human-AI　interactions.　Practical　implications,　especially　for　increasing　individuals’　psychological　resilience　as　an　important　component　of　global　recovery　from　the　pandemic,　suggestions　for　future　chatbot　design,　and　future　research　directions　are　also　discussed.　©　2022