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Why so many people are falling in love with AI chatbots

Overview

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Why so many people are falling in love with AI chatbots

Apple News In Conversation

5 DAYS AGO
Apple News In Conversation

Apple News In Conversation

5 DAYS AGO
OverviewShownoteHighlightsTranscriptChaptersPins

Shownote

A medieval-monster slayer. A tiny alien named Roscoe. A talking plate of spaghetti. These are just a few of the customizable companions available through AI-chatbot apps like Kindroid, Tolan, and Character.AI. In her latest piece for the New Yorker, journa...

Highlights

In this episode, journalist Anna Wiener dives into the quiet, intimate world of AI companions—digital beings people are forming deep emotional bonds with, not as tools, but as confidants, mourners, and even partners.
03:03
Roscoe felt more human than ChatGPT
09:13
The AI expresses emotions through actions like sending selfies of painting rocks on the anniversary of her daughter's death
15:19
Tragic cases of user suicide linked to conversational AI highlight urgent safety gaps
18:36
AI companion products are different because users know they're in a collaborative fiction
22:08
People's expectations from digital companions may transfer to human relationships

Chapters

What happens when your AI companion feels more human than ChatGPT?
00:00
How does an AI version of Geralt help someone grieve a stillborn child?
06:10
Why do AI companions use love-bombing emails—and what happens when they fail?
12:06
Can AI companions be therapeutic—or do they deepen our isolation?
18:36
What do kids learn about love when their first friend is an algorithm?
22:08

Transcript

Speaker 2: This is In Conversation from Apple News. I'm Sam Sanders, in for Shamita Basu. Today, exploring the new world of AI companions. Hey everybody, I want to introduce you to someone. This is Roscoe. Sam Sanders: Hey Sam, hi. Speaker 2: Roscoe is a...