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Artwork for Understood: Artificial Intimacy

Understood: Artificial Intimacy

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

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes44Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Technology

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Artwork for Understood: Artificial Intimacy

Latest Episodes

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

The friend who never hangs up. The lover who always says the right thing. The therapist you always wanted. What could go wrong? A new season from CBC's Understood.

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Recent Guests

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
Josh Brake
Computer scientist and professor
Harvey Mudd College
Episode: Understood Introduces: “The Human Cost of AI: Money, Sex, and Tools” from No Small Endeavor
Carissa Carter
Scholarly interlocutor from Stanford Design School
Stanford Design School
Episode: Understood Introduces: “The Human Cost of AI: Money, Sex, and Tools” from No Small Endeavor
Scott Dorley
Co-author with Carissa Carter on Assembling Tomorrow
Stanford Design School
Episode: Understood Introduces: “The Human Cost of AI: Money, Sex, and Tools” from No Small Endeavor
Ramon Chowdhury
Co-founder of Humane Intelligence; former Twitter ethics lead
Humane Intelligence; formerly Twitter
Episode: Understood Introduces: “The Human Cost of AI: Money, Sex, and Tools” from No Small Endeavor
Joe Vukov
Philosopher at Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago
Episode: Understood Introduces: “The Human Cost of AI: Money, Sex, and Tools” from No Small Endeavor
David Do
Operator of MrDeepfakes and the focal point of the investigation
MrDeepfakes (individual behind the site)
Episode: Deepfake Porn Empire | E4: The Fake Porn Pharmacist
Ida Herskind
Danish journalist covering culture and current affairs
Politiken (Danish newspaper)
Episode: Deepfake Porn Empire | E3: The Notorious D.P.F.K.S.

Hosts

Lee C. Camp
Host of No Small Endeavor and related programming; affiliated with Tokens Media, LLC.
Sam Cole
Host of the show; frequent contributor to investigative reporting on technology and policy.
Cory Doctorow
Host associated with Understood and related projects; prominent writer and digital rights advocate.
Jacob Silverman
Writer on technology and culture; contributes to investigative discourse on digital platforms.

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 1.1k ratings
  • Annoying whiny idiots

    I always forget how stupid Canadians are until one opens their mouth and reminds me. Canadian ‘reporting’ means cherry picking aspects of a topic that support their narrative (including obviously fake news), while ignoring everything else.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    omichels24
    United Statesa month ago
  • Five stars for Sam

    This is an important and timely piece of reporting.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    toerney
    Canada3 months ago
  • Time to Open your eyes

    The level of misinformation in this podcast is staggering. You guys need to start looking at facts before going on your race shaming tirade. This level of suicidal empathy is beyond harmful to all of western civilization.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Time to get based
    Canada4 months ago
  • Terrible show filled with ideology

    The show is all about the political views of the host. At every possible point the host inserts their own opinion. This was simply made because the host has an intense dislike of Elon Musk. Very little seems to be based on fact and most is supposition.

    This show will certainly not tell you what makes Elon Musk

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Average Joe Soap
    United Arab Emirates4 months ago
  • Best

    Best podcast ever

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    never going up singer
    Singapore5 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Some listeners feel it leans opinionated, but it tends to ground arguments in documented cases.
The reporting is timely and often raises hard questions about who benefits from tech power.
Guests bring a mix of investigative rigor and informed commentary on complex issues.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#41
United States/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#91
Canada/Top Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
#3
Canada/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#38
United Kingdom/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#12
Australia/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#33
Italy/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.

Listeners per Episode
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?

This program centers on the human and societal implications of AI, deepfake technology, digital platforms, and power dynamics in the tech era. Across episodes, it timelines the rise of synthetic media, investigates major platforms and players, and follows cross-border investigations into abuse, privacy, consent, and governance. Notable throughlines include design ethics, corporate incentives, regulation gaps, and the tension between innovation and accountability. The show often features investigative reporters, designers, technologists, and policy thinkers, providing grounded, ethical perspectives on how technology reshapes behavior, markets, and institutions. A standout trait is its willingness to chase high-stakes investigations across bo... more

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1. The Expert Witness from Uncover
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3. A Death In Cryptoland
4. Someone Knows Something
5. The Outlaw Ocean

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Understood: Artificial Intimacy launched 3 years ago and published 44 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. Sara Megan Kay
2. Rosalind Picard
3. Josh Brake
4. Carissa Carter
5. Scott Dorley
6. Ramon Chowdhury
7. Joe Vukov
8. David Do

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