FT Tech Tonic

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TECHNOLOGY
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We are in the midst of a digital revolution, where the line between our physical world and cyberspace is blurring. Tech Tonic is the show that investigates the promises and perils of this new technological age. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

3 DAYS AGO

Artificial intimacy: Prescribing robots to combat loneliness

After Tony’s wife died, days would go by without him speaking to anyone. Then he got a live-in AI robot called ElliQ. It chats to him, plays games with him and reminds him to eat and exercise. Since ElliQ arrived, Tony has been much less lonely. In this episode: policymakers are trialling AI companions to help tackle loneliness among elderly and vulnerable populations. But can machines really replace human company? And are we outsourcing care for marginalised communities to robots? Featuring Anthony Niemiec, Anh Hee Soon, Ki Kyung-eun, Greg Olsen, director of New York State Office for the Aging, and Caroline Green, director of research at the University of Oxford’s Institute for Ethics in AI. Check out some of the FT’s reporting on this subject on FT.com: The reality of chatbot-induced delusions Can ChatGPT help with a midlife crisis? The problem with AI and ‘empathy’ Artificial Intimacy is presented by Cristina Criddle and produced by Persis Love and Edwin Lane. Additional reporting and production by Jen Kwon and Michela Tindera. The executive producer is Flo Phillips. Sound design is by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

31 min
4 MAR

Artificial intimacy: The AI therapist that ended a marriage

When Kirsty turned to a chatbot for help, she was feeling trapped and isolated. Something in her marriage wasn’t right - a constant feeling of tension that would sometimes erupt into arguments, even violence. When she asked ChatGPT for advice, it told her that her relationship with her husband might be abusive. In the fourth episode of Tech Tonic: Artificial intimacy, FT tech reporter Cristina Criddle asks if chatbots that can mimic empathy and understanding are ready to replace human therapists. Can chatbots be good for our mental health? And what impact could this have on our human relationships? Check out some of the FT’s reporting on this subject on FT.com: Mental health apps: the AI therapist cannot see you now Can ChatGPT help with a midlife crisis? The problem with AI and ‘empathy’ Artificial Intimacy is presented by Cristina Criddle and produced by Persis Love and Edwin Lane. The executive producer is Flo Phillips. Sound design is by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts. If you have been affected by the issues raised in this episode, you can reach out to a mental health helpline, such as the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in the US or Samaritans in the UK. Help for many other countries can also be found at Befrienders Worldwide. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

31 min
25 FEB

Artificial intimacy: A teenager’s last conversation

Megan Garcia’s son Sewell died by suicide when he was just 14 years old. In the months leading up to his death he had been in a relationship with a chatbot on a platform called Character.ai. Megan was convinced it had something to do with his death, and set out to hold the company to account. In the third episode in this season, Cristina Criddle speaks to Megan about her story, and to Karandeep Anand, chief executive of Character.ai. Why has this technology been released to children before we understand the effects? Can chatbots capable of creating emotional bonds with users ever be safe for children? Check out some of Cristina’s reporting on this subject on FT.com: Character.ai and Google agree to settle lawsuits over teen suicides AI start-up Character.ai bans teens from talking to chatbots US regulator launches inquiry into AI ‘companions’ used by teens Artificial Intimacy is presented by Cristina Criddle and produced by Persis Love and Edwin Lane. The executive producer is Flo Phillips. Sound design is by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts. If you have been affected by the issues raised in this episode, you can reach out to a mental health helpline, such as the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in the US or Samaritans in the UK. Help for many other countries can also be found at Befrienders Worldwide. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

34 min
SEASON 22 TRAILER

Coming soon: Artificial intimacy

A man tells his wife about his AI lover. A teenager dies after messaging his AI girlfriend. A marriage collapses after advice from an AI therapist. In this six-part narrative series, FT tech reporter Cristina Criddle explores the increasingly prominent role AI chatbots are playing in our emotional lives - and how artificial intelligence is reshaping intimacy. Can we trust AI with our most vulnerable selves? And what happens when the same systems that draw us in also have the power to harm us? Tech Tonic: Artificial Intimacy is presented by Cristina Criddle and produced by Persis Love and Edwin Lane. The executive producer is Flo Phillips. Sound design by Breen Turner and Sam Giovinco. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2 min
22 JAN

Tech in 2026: Silicon Valley’s power plays and players

How will Silicon Valley’s most powerful figures shape technology — and politics — in 2026? Last year, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg aligned themselves with Donald Trump. Where have these relationships left the industry today? The push to break up Big Tech appears to be fading, but the race for AI dominance has sparked new risks and rivalries, as well as regulatory flashpoints. In this episode of Tech Tonic, Murad Ahmed is joined by FT tech comment editor Elaine Moore, San Francisco correspondent Hannah Murphy and bureau chief Stephen Morris to discuss Musk’s latest Grok chatbot, Zuckerberg’s evolving strategy at Meta, the rise of the online right and what it all reveals about the shifting balance of power in Silicon Valley. Free to read: Elon Musk hit by exodus of senior staff over burnout and politics How Mark Zuckerberg unleashed his inner brawler Dina Powell McCormick appointed president and vice-chair at Meta Big Tech tests investors’ patience with $80bn AI investment spree Here come the glassholes, part II AI poses a new antitrust problem China’s open-source AI is a national advantage This series of Tech Tonic is hosted by Murad Ahmed and produced by Josh Gabert-Doyon. The senior producer for Tech Tonic is Edwin Lane. Flo Phillips is the executive producer. Sound design by Breen Turner and Samantha Giovinco. Original music by Metaphor Music. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s global head of audio. The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

40 min
31/12/2025

Untold: Toxic Legacy, Ep. 1

Laura Hughes receives a tip that horses are dropping dead in Wales. As she investigates, she finds decades of academic studies researching the problem. She learns these aren’t isolated incidents. Something is spreading across the countryside. It’s undetectable to humans, nobody knows it’s there — until they fall ill. For more information on how to live safely with lead, please visit the LEAPP Alliance website. To listen to the rest of the series, find Untold on your favourite podcast platform by clicking here! Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

42 min
10/12/2025

Defying death: The future of forever

Gene and stem cell therapies have been touted as the next phase in the longevity movement, with promises to rejuvenate the body at the cellular level and reverse the effects of ageing. But, as the prospect of life extension moves into the mainstream, it presents big questions for society as a whole. Are we ready for a world where people live much longer lives? In this final episode, the FT’s Michael Peel and Hannah Kuchler dive into the tough moral questions at the heart of the longevity movement. Hannah speaks to the team at Fountain Life, a longevity clinic trying to bring stem cell therapy to the middle classes. We meet Daniel Ives, founder of gene therapy company Shift Bioscience, and Liz Parrish, who has self-experimented with gene therapies through her company, Biovia. Finally, Michael speaks to Arthur Caplan, the head of the ethics board of longevity fund, Hevolution. Free to read: From immortal jellyfish to elephants: scientists probe secrets of long-lived animals Inside the billion-dollar quest to live beyond 100 Gene editing breakthrough promises to boost fight against disease This series of Tech Tonic is hosted by Michael Peel and Hannah Kuchler. It is produced by Josh Gabert-Doyon. The senior producer is Edwin Lane. Flo Phillips is the executive producer. Sound design by Breen Turner and Samantha Giovinco. Fact checking by Simon Greaves, Lucy Baldwin and Tara Cromie. Original music by Metaphor Music. Manuela Saragosa is the FT’s acting co-head of audio. Special thanks to Michela Tindera. Clips: Al Jazeera Balkans, TV France Japon, ABP News, Rome Reports, @Sciencerely The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

31 min
26/11/2025

Defying death: The origins of ageing

How much do we really know about ageing? For decades, scientists have been trying to understand the biology of the ageing process - what happens to our bodies as we get older? And is it possible to slow that process down or even stop it all together? In this series of Tech Tonic, the FT’s Hannah Kuchler and Michael Peel look into the past, present and future of longevity - the wellness movement focused on extending and bettering your quality of life. Episode 1 follows Hannah as she speaks with UCL professor David Gems about the history of ageing research, and then with longevity researcher Matt Kaeberlein to discuss how the industry has developed - including current drugs that could have anti-ageing effects. Plus, Michael visits the Reviv clinic in London where he experiences, first hand, the growing consumer interest in the longevity craze. Read more from the FT — for free: My year-long quest to live forever The quest to make young blood into a drug Muscly people show slower brain ageing, study finds This season of Tech Tonic is presented by Hannah Kuchler and Michael Peel. It was produced by Josh Gabert-Doyon. The senior producer is Edwin Lane. Flo Phillips is the executive producer. Sound design by Breen Turner and Samantha Giovinco. Fact checking by Simon Greaves, Lucy Baldwin and Tara Cromie. Original music by Metaphor Music. Manuela Saragosa is the FT’s acting co-head of audio. Clips: @DaveAspreyBPR, @drjoshaxe, @HealthCoachKait, Hevolution, Pom, Purina, Garnier, 4G antioxidants, @ChrisWillx, @lexfridman, ABC News, C-Span, CBS, ITV This Morning, Wired UK, The Dissenter, Will Tennyson The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

36 min

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John Thornhill

Host

We are in the midst of a digital revolution, where the line between our physical world and cyberspace is blurring. Tech Tonic is the show that investigates the promises and perils of this new technological age. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.