Millions of people are in relationships with AI. Many of them didn't mean to be. 

That's one of the findings from researchers at MIT's Media Lab, where the Advancing Humans with AI [AHA] team have been quietly exploring the effects AI is having on human relationships — from loneliness, love, and our capacity for real connection. "Her is Here," says Dr. Pat Pataranutaporn, co-founder of the AHA research program. "This thing used to be what we've seen in science fiction. But now it's touching a lot of life." How are humans accidentally falling into relationships with AI, what do these relationships actually look like, and what impact could it have on the very nature of our societal social fabric? Through their research, Dr. Pat and his team have designed tools - like a grocery store nutritional label -  to empower parents and users to critically assess the AI technology at their fingertips and better understand which will actually help them rather than harm. In this conversation, Laurie Segall, along with Dr. Pat and his researchers explore the larger questions hanging over AI and this new form of relationship: what happens to human connection when frictionless relationships are always available? What do we become when nothing ever pushes back? And when it comes to safety, how can we not just fix the technology, but dig deeper to understand why more and more people are turning to their bots for intimacy rather than their humans. Read more about the Advancing Humans with AI's findings here. 

If you have thoughts or questions for Laurie about this episode or anything Mostly Human, email us at [email protected]

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.