I embrace technology but believe in the importance of personal connection and relationships. At technology conferences, the word 'relationship' is never mentioned. However, technology greatly influences how we relate to others and ourselves. It is irresponsible to ignore this impact. Relationships are complex but worth our attention.
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.