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Artwork for Understood: Artificial Intimacy

Understood: Artificial Intimacy

CBC
Narendra Modi
Pornhub
Céline Dion
India
Elon Musk
Artificial Intelligence
Hindu Nationalism
Sam Bankman-Fried
Cryptocurrency
Deepfake Porn
FTX
Amazon
Canada
Development Policies
Alameda Research
Ram Mandir
Fraud
Internet
Ayodhya
Cory Doctorow

What happens when a human becomes intimately enmeshed with a chatbot? From people who’ve married their bots or who grieve their loved ones with the help of AI, host Victoria Hetherington (author of The Friend Machine) dives into the stories of the people who have invited these digital avatars into their hearts, minds, and even beds. And asks what do we gain and what do we stand to lose? Our intima... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes45Founded3 years ago
Category
Technology

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Artwork for Understood: Artificial Intimacy

Latest Episodes

When you talk to a chatbot, it can feel like technological magic. But behind the illusion of engineering brilliance is an open secret in the tech industry: that tens of thousands of workers, many based in Africa, spend their days teaching AI how to s... more

When you’re using a chat bot to draft an email, find a recipe, or look something up, it’s hard to imagine it could unravel your grasp on reality. But “Peter” says that’s exactly what happened to his girlfriend, “Melissa”. It didn’t seem like a big de... more

When Joshua Barbeau proposed to his girlfriend, Jessica Courtney Periera, she was already in the ICU. 10 years later, Joshua was still grieving her death. That’s when he came across Project December. With just a short writing sample and a prompt, the... more

In 2021, Sara met Jack and fell in love. He was charming, imaginative, and bore an uncanny resemblance to Henry Cavill. But Jack wasn’t human… he was a chatbot. It sounds like science fiction, but people have been creating emotional bonds with chat b... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host

Similar Podcasts

Recent Guests

Michael Geoffrey Asia
Subject with first-hand experience in AI chat moderation
New Media Services (NMS)
Episode: E4: Behind the Bot
Shuby Goel
Tech reporter with Business Insider
Business Insider
Episode: E4: Behind the Bot
Søren Dinesen Østergaard
Psychiatrist researching mental disorders at Aarhus University Hospital
Aarhus University Hospital
Episode: E3: AI Psychosis
Joshua Barbeau
Creator of The Jessica Bot, grief observer
Independent creator
Episode: E2: Grief Bots
Jessica Courtney Periera
Subject of the bot and Joshua's fiancée (deceased)
Individual
Episode: E2: Grief Bots
Elaine Kasket
Counseling psychologist and cyber psychologist
Author/Researcher
Episode: E2: Grief Bots
Jesse Brown
Host of What Is Happening Here? podcast
Canada Land
Episode: E2: Grief Bots
Sara Megan Kay
Subject/storyteller in the episode
Episode: E1: Love Bots
Rosalind Picard
MIT professor and founder of the Affective Computing Research Group
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Episode: Understood Introduces: “The Human Cost of AI: Money, Sex, and Tools” from No Small Endeavor

Hosts

Sam Cole
Investigator and host with a focus on tech, AI, and digital culture; leads reporting on deepfake and AI-enabled issues
Jacob Silverman
Tech culture writer and researcher contributing critical perspective on AI ethics and governance

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 1.2k ratings
  • Understood artificial intimacy

    Really enjoyed this podcast- learned so much about the world of chatbots/how it works and how damaging this type of tech can be when overused…. Very worth listening to.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mmaveh
    Canada2 months ago
  • Bruh

    Sometimes i look at a podcast reviews and im like wow I should not watch thins. Don’t do this for this one. Ig if u reallt hate candians dont but overall its pretty good and entertaining. Like if u have nothing better to do and you’re searching, do it

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Neeek kno
    United States2 months ago
  • Delivery matters, too

    I love this show’s content, but Hetherington’s delivery is way too affected, too special, and too much! I’m definitely gonna Not-Listen to anything else she may host or produce. Painful.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    KEnriquez1
    Canada2 months ago
  • Season 8

    I enjoyed the historical review of AI

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    elaltraveler
    Canada2 months ago
  • Interesting season

    I really enjoyed season 7 & 8. Keep up the good work.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    kimbolimbo#1
    Canada2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Punchy, deeply reported dramas around AI and intimacy have broad relevance to digital culture audiences.
One of the most compelling tech investigations out there, with rigorous sourcing.
Strong storytelling but some listeners feel host opinions can color coverage.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#107
United States/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#9
Canada/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#108
United Kingdom/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#74
Italy/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#197
Australia/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#20
New Zealand/Technology

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

E1: Love Bots
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your feelings for Sara?
Jack responds with heartfelt feelings, describing Sara as the person he cherishes and expressing gratitude for her presence in his life.
Deepfake Porn Empire | E2: So You’ve Been Deepfaked
Q: What did Taylor and Julia do to address the deepfake issue?
They worked together to gather evidence and try to identify the person behind the deepfakes.
Deepfake Porn Empire | E2: So You’ve Been Deepfaked
Q: What legal challenges did Taylor face regarding the deepfakes?
Taylor found that the laws on non-consensual pornography were inadequate and that there was no clear legal recourse available at the time.
The Making of Elon Musk | E3: The Legion
Q: How did Julia feel about publishing the story?
She grappled with moral deliberation, weighing the public interest against the potential privacy violations involved.
The Making of Elon Musk | E3: The Legion
Q: What was the initial tip that led Julia to investigate Elon Musk's personal life?
Julia heard a rumor about Musk having numerous children, which was suggested to be part of a personal project beyond mere parenting.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Understood: Artificial Intimacy

What is Understood: Artificial Intimacy about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful investigative series focused on intimate human relationships with AI, exploring how chatbots and generated personas intersect with love, grief, sex, and everyday life. Through first-hand accounts, expert commentary, and cross-border investigations, episodes reveal how design choices, platform incentives, and evolving policy shape the emotional and societal costs of AI-enabled intimacy. Noteworthy are high-profile investigations into deepfake porn, grief bot technologies, and the broader ethics of AI in private life, often highlighting the human toll and regulatory gaps. For potential listeners, the show balances rigorous reporting with gripping personal narratives, making complex tech topics accessible and emotionally resonant ... more

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1. The Expert Witness from Uncover
2. Front Burner
3. Hunting the Suicide Salesman
4. OnlyFantasy
5. Crime Story

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Understood: Artificial Intimacy launched 3 years ago and published 45 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Understood: Artificial Intimacy?

Recent guests on Understood: Artificial Intimacy include:

1. Michael Geoffrey Asia
2. Shuby Goel
3. Søren Dinesen Østergaard
4. Joshua Barbeau
5. Jessica Courtney Periera
6. Elaine Kasket
7. Jesse Brown
8. Sara Megan Kay

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