About this episode
[This episode originally aired on August 17, 2023] For all the talk about AI, we rarely hear about how it will change our relationships. As we swipe to find love and consult chatbot therapists, acclaimed psychotherapist and relationship expert Esther Perel warns that there’s another harmful “AI” on the rise — Artificial Intimacy — and how it is depriving us of real connection. Tristan and Esther discuss how depending on algorithms can fuel alienation, and then imagine how we might design technology to strengthen our social bonds. RECOMMENDED MEDIA Mating in Captivity by Esther Perel Esther's debut work on the intricacies behind modern relationships, and the dichotomy of domesticity and sexual desire The State of Affairs by Esther Perel Esther takes a look at modern relationships through the lens of infidelity Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel Listen in as real couples in search of help bare the raw and profound details of their stories How’s Work? with Esther Perel Esther’s podcast that focuses on the hard conversations we're afraid to have at work Lars and the Real Girl (2007) A young man strikes up an unconventional relationship with a doll he finds on the internet Her (2013) In a near future, a lonely writer develops an unlikely relationship with an operating system designed to meet his every need RECOMMENDED YUA EPISODES Big Food, Big Tech and Big AI with Michael Moss The AI Dilemma The Three Rules of Humane Tech Digital Democracy is Within Reach with Audrey Tang CORRECTION: Esther refers to the 2007 film Lars and the Real Doll . The title of the film is Lars and the Real Girl. Your Undivided Attention is produced by the Center for Humane Technology . Follow us on Twitter: @HumaneTech_ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.