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Love, Loneliness, + Loss

As the capabilities of generative artificial intelligence increase, they are creating new ways for people to forge humanlike connections with machines. From virtual companions to robot therapists, some are finding that AI is getting close to the kind of emotional support, friendship and even sexual gratification they'd find in a person. But while the yearning for love and companionship is very human, the AI chatbots filling that void are very much not. And what's more, there are countless risks and unforeseen consequences to letting code-based connections into our lives. On this episode of AI IRL, Bloomberg's Nate Lanxon and Jackie Davalos are joined by Eugenia Kuyda, founder of Replika, and Bloomberg reporter Ellen Huet to discuss AI companionship. They also talk with James Arrowood, co-CEO of cryonics company Alcor, about how AI could help preserve human organs for future use.

English