Recent studies show that Americans have fewer close friends than they used to, and many psychologists correlate that decline to growing concerns over mental health and physical well -being.

META CEO Mark Zuckerberg has an idea on how to fix that problem, and it's designed to make it easier for people to establish friend relationships using artificial intelligence.

Zuckerberg told podcaster Dwarkesh Patel recently, "As the personalization loop kicks in and the AI starts to get to know you better and better, that will just be really compelling."

But who should regulate and administer the rise of platforms and technology designed to link humans and artificial intelligence? And what are the consequences for the future when an individual's sole connection to the world consists of chatbots and A.I.?

Kristin Brey and Steve Scaffidi explore the world of artificial intelligence and relationships on Episode 9 of the You Need to Listen Podcast.

Brey and Scaffidi are also the hosts of Point Taken, which airs weekdays, 10-12, on 620WTMJ in Milwaukee.

In Episode 8 of the You Need to Listen Podcast, Kristin Brey and Steve Scaffidi explore their own journeys of faith and the opportunities and challenges ahead for Catholics after the passing of Pope Francis.

What legacy does Pope Francis leave to members of his faith? Do Catholics move forward with a more inclusive and accepting doctrine, or does his passing signal a return to the more conservative traditions of the church?

With 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, and 53 million in the United States, it is still one of the largest faith groups in the world.

Join the conversation as Kristin and Steve explore the power and reach of faith and faith leaders.

Steve and Kristin are co-hosts of Point Taken, which airs 10 - 12 each weekday morning on Newsradio 620WTMJ.

Onlyfans is a subscription-based, social media platform primarily known for its user-provided content. 98% of the content on the site is sexually explicit, with 305 million subscribers across the globe.

On this week's episode of the You Need to Listen Podcast, Kristin Brey and Steve Scaffidi look at the changing landscape of social media, and public perceptions and acceptance around Onlyfans sexual content, and its link to the pornography industry.

From sex workers to selling sexual content for money, YNTL takes on the rise and the power of Onlyfans, its role in social media, and its impact on our culture.

Kristin Brey and Steve Scaffidi are the hosts of Point Taken on 620WTMJ, heard Monday through Friday, from 10 AM - 12 PM.

Should parents be held responsible for the deaths of their children when the circumstances involve withholding life-saving medical treatment or exposing them to unlocked, loaded firearms in the house?

Recently in Texas, the parents of a child who died from measles told an anti-vaccine group that they wouldn't recommend the vaccine to other families, after the death of their own child.

In Michigan, a couple is serving a 10-15 year prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter, for their role in their son's killing of four students at his high school. Their conviction was the first of its kind in the nation.

A new Netflix series, Adolescence, explores what happens in a family after a horrific murder, how it relates to the issues of male isolation and violence, and the roles that parents play in their children's lives.

What are the limits to parental responsibility and where is the line when it comes to criminal prosecution?

In Episode 6 of the You Need to Listen Podcast, Kristin Brey and Steve Scaffidi explore the perils of parenting in the age of unrestricted access to social media and the internet and the rise of school shootings, in a country where individual freedoms often seem to trump common sense.

Is all politics personal?

The phrase has its origins in the feminist and civil rights movements of the late 1960's, connecting personal experience with societal and political agendas.

In today's hyper-partisan and incredibly polarized political environment, how much weight do political policies and parties have on the daily lives of all of us?

Kristin Brey and Steve Scaffidi take on the challenge of sorting out the complexities of politics - and the personal - on Episode 5 of the You Need to Listen Podcast.

Kristin Brey is the host of Spanning the State, 1 -3 p.m., Monday through Friday on Newsradio 620WTMJ.

Steve Scaffidi is the host of the Political Power Hour, 9 - 10 a.m., Monday through Friday on Newsradio 620WTMJ.

There are currently about 750 Billionaires in the U.S., with 10 working in the new Trump administration.

One of those ten is Elon Musk, the richest person in the world, who is currently overseeing the office of D.O.G.E., Department of Government Efficiency.

On Episode 4 of the You Need to Listen Podcast, Kristin Brey and Steve Scaffidi take on the subject of wealth, power and influence, and what responsibilities or obligations the richest among us have. Kristin offers up a “wealth tax” proposal that Steve finds “just a little bit crazy”.

With their usual razor sharp wit and a ready supply of humor, the two take on the question, Are Billionaires Bad?

Kristin Brey is the host of Spanning the State on 620WTMJ, 1- 3 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Steve is the host of the Political Power Hour on 620WTMJ, 9 – 10 a.m., Monday through Friday.

Is marriage on the decline, or just evolving? In this episode, Steve and Kristin, both happily married, dive into the ever-shifting dynamics of modern relationships. With dating apps and social media rewriting the rules of romance, is technology making it easier or harder to find the one? From dwindling marriage rates to the debate over housework and child rearing equality , we discuss how love, commitment, and cohabitation have changed over the years and where it's going with this new conservative pro-natalist administration.

It’s a fun, thought-provoking conversation you won’t want to miss—so grab your headphones and hit play! Don’t forget to subscribe and follow us for more.

Social media platforms like X, Facebook, and TikTok are a topic of significant debate almost anywhere a conversation takes place.

With users totaling in the billions, every aspect of our daily lives are impacted by what is posted, commented on, or in some extreme cases, acted upon by the members and followers who willingly, and sometimes unknowingly, share their personal data. 

Should social media be regulated like radio and TV?

The You Need to Listen Podcast explores that issue and tries to answer that question and more.

Kristin Brey and Steve Scaffidi take on the power and peril of the largest media platforms in the world on this week's edition of YNTL.

Political ideology is more complicated than Left or Right, Democrat or Republican. Sometimes people lean into their political identity while others are uncomfortable with any sort of label. For two people who offer their thoughts and opinions on a daily basis, Steve and Kristin also recognize that a lot of people project their own labels onto them.

For episode one of their new podcast, Steve and Kristin both took Pew Research’s Political Typology Quiz to see where they landed on the political spectrum. Listen to this inaugural episode to find out how far apart they actually are and some surprising issues they agree on.

You can take the quiz for yourself here: https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/quiz/political-typology

Let us know if your results surprised you and if you have suggestions for future You Need To Listen topics, shoot us an email: [email protected] or [email protected]