Episode 517: The Business Of Artificial Intimacy
July 10, 2026 by Justin Lehmiller
People are increasingly turning to AI for companionship. But behind every AI companion is a company that owns the technology, collects the data, and programs how these relationship work. So what happens when corporations become intermediaries in our most intimate relationships? In this episode, we’re diving into the ethics, risks, and future of AI intimacy.
I am joined once again by Bridget Todd, an award-winning creator, host, and producer. She hosts the critically acclaimed podcast There Are No Girls on the Internet, and Mozilla’s award-winning podcast IRL: Online Life is Real Life. Bridget is a Technology in the Public Interest Fellow at the MacArthur Foundation and an affiliate at Harvard University’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society. She is also author of the new audiobook Love at First Prompt.
Some of the specific topics we explore in this episode include:
- What makes the business model behind AI companions so concerning?
- What risks arise when a corporation mediates an intimate relationship?
- How do consent and autonomy differ in AI relationships versus human ones?
- What should users know about privacy when interacting with AI?
- Does AI companionship reduce loneliness, or make it worse?
You can find Bridget on her website and on Instagram @bridgetmarieindc, and you can check out Love at First Prompt here.
Got a sex question? Send me a podcast voicemail to have it answered on a future episode at speakpipe.com/sexandpsychology.
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Credits: Precision Podcasting (Podcast editing) and Shutterstock/Florian (Music). Image created with Canva; photos used with permission of guest.
Dr. Justin Lehmiller
Founder & Owner of Sex and PsychologyDr. Justin Lehmiller is a social psychologist and Research Fellow at The Kinsey Institute. He runs the Sex and Psychology blog and podcast and is author of the popular book Tell Me What You Want. Dr. Lehmiller is an award-winning educator, and a prolific researcher who has published more than 50 academic works.
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