TED Radio Hour

Body Electric: If a bot relationship FEELS real, should we care that it's not?

Thanks to advances in AI, chatbots can act as personalized therapists, companions, and romantic partners. The apps offering these services have been downloaded millions of times. If these relationships relieve stress and make us feel better, does it matter that they're not "real"? On this episode from our special series Body Electric, host Manoush Zomorodi talks to MIT sociologist and psychologist Sherry Turkle about her new research into what she calls "artificial intimacy," and its impact on our mental and physical health. Binge the whole Body Electric series <a href="http://npr.org/bodyelectric">here</a>. Sign up for the Body Electric Challenge and our newsletter <a href="https://www.npr.org/newsletter/body-electric">here</a>. Talk to us on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/manoushz/">Instagram</a> @ManoushZ, or record a voice memo and email it to us at <a href="mailto:BodyElectric@npr.org">BodyElectric@npr.org</a>. Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a> <a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>

Exploring the biggest questions of our time with the help of the world's greatest thinkers. Host Manoush Zomorodi inspires us to learn more about the world, our communities, and most importantly, ourselves. Get more brainy miscellany with TED Radio Hour+. Your subscription supports the show and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/ted