This chapter explores the impact of technology on human relationships and intimacy, highlighting the paradox of increased connectivity alongside feelings of loneliness. It discusses how digital tools can alter perceptions of real intimacy, reflecting on experiences with dating apps and the complexities they introduce. The dialogue emphasizes the importance of genuine connections and the challenges individuals face in fostering authentic relationships in a tech-driven world.
[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.