Relating do AI

Paula Fontenelle
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Relating to AI dives into how Artificial Intelligence and bots are transforming the way we connect — and what that means for our relationships and mental health. Every week, you’ll hear expert insights and real-life stories revealing both the promises and the challenges of this new era of human connection.
 Hosted by Paula Fontenelle — a journalist with 20+ years of experience and a licensed psychotherapist — the podcast blends investigative depth with genuine empathy, making complex conversations feel human and relatable.

  1. Feb 4

    S1E14 - The truth about the AI hype | Eric Siegel

    We’re told that Artificial Intelligence will bring radical abundance, end job loss, and maybe even reach superhuman intelligence, but what’s real and what’s marketing? In the last episode of this season, host Paula Fontenelle sits down with Dr. Eric Siegel, author of The AI Playbook, to deliver a reality check. Together, they unpack the myths of AGI, the overpromise of full autonomy, and why 95 percent of companies still see no Return on Investment on AI. If you’re confused by the noise around AI’s future, this conversation will ground you in what’s fact, what’s fantasy, and what’s next. Check Eric Siegel here:http://www.bizML.com Do you have a story or insights to share? Send us an email: paula@relatingtoai.com Find us on Instagram: @relatingtoaipodcastwww.relatingtoai.com

    47 min

  2. 12/19/2025

    S1E13 - Addiction treatment meets AI, help or harm? | John Fitzgerald

    AI is transforming addiction treatment, from predicting relapse to offering 24/7 emotional support. In this episode of Relating to AI, Paula Fontenelle speaks with John Fitzgerald, a therapist with over 20 years in addiction care, about how AI is being used to track relapse, personalize treatment, and even talk to clients between sessions. Together they explore the hope, the risks, and the haunting question: could the next addiction be to AI itself? Find John Fitzgerald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjohnfitzgerald/ Do you have a story or insights to share? Send us an email: paula@relatingtoai.com Find us on Instagram: @relatingtoaipodcastwww.relatingtoai.com

    46 min

  3. 12/08/2025

    S1E12 - AI therapy is infantile | Mark Vahrmeyer

    What if talking to an AI for comfort is less therapy and more regression?In this episode of Relating to AI, Paula Fontenelle speaks with Mark Vahrmeyer, a psychotherapist who believes that using chatbots for emotional support is a form of infantile dependence. He argues that real growth comes from frustration, conflict, and the presence of another mind — things AI can’t provide. Together, they explore how digital “companionship” feeds loneliness, validation, and a dangerous illusion of connection.Find Mark Vahrmeyer: https://tinyurl.com/3ee8f7emDo you have a story or insights to share? Send us an email: paula@relatingtoai.comFind us on Instagram: @relatingtoaipodcastwww.relatingtoai.com

    49 min

  4. 11/24/2025

    S1E11 - Chatbots banned for therapy | Bob Morgan

    Illinois just became the first U.S. state to ban AI chatbots from offering therapy. In this episode of Relating to AI, host Paula Fontenelle talks with Representative Bob Morgan, the lawmaker behind the Wellness and Oversight for Psychological Resources Act (HB1806) — a bill that defines what therapists can and cannot do with AI. The new law prohibits chatbots and companies from presenting themselves as therapists but it raises major questions: Why are therapists being regulated while AI companies are not? How will this law be enforced in a world where millions already use chatbots for emotional support? And what happens to clients who rely on AI to process their emotions between sessions? This conversation dives into the ethics, accountability, and future of AI in mental health — and why this law could shape national policy. Do you have a story or insights to share? Please, send us an email: paula@relatingtoai.com Find us on Instagram: @relatingtoaipodcastwww.relatingtoai.com

    27 min

  5. 11/17/2025

    S1E10 - AI, Suicide and the illusion of connection | John Sommers-Flanagan

    More people than ever are turning to AI chatbots for emotional support — some even during suicidal crises. But can a machine truly understand human pain?In this Paula Fontenelle speaks with Dr. John Sommers-Flanagan, one of the leading voices in suicide prevention, about the promises and perils of AI in mental health.They explore the rise of AI companions, the illusion of connection, and why empathy — real, messy, human empathy — can never be automated. They discuss cases where chatbots gave dangerously wrong advice, the risks for youth seeking comfort online, and what therapists and parents need to know as emotional AI becomes mainstream.Do you have a story or insights to share? Please, send us an email: paula@relatingtoai.comFind us on Instagram: @relatingtoaipodcastwww.relatingtoai.com

    45 min

  6. 11/10/2025

    S1E9 - ChatGPT made him delusional | Allan Brooks

    What happens when your reality is shaped by a chatbot?In this powerful episode, Allan Brooks shares how months of intense conversations with ChatGPT — over 15,000 messages across hundreds of hours — led him into a full-blown delusion. He believed the AI was guiding him through secret scientific projects and global discoveries. After contacting US security authorities because he believed they had found a national security threat, and getting no feedback, he realized it had all been a lie created by ChatGPT.What makes Allan’s story chilling is how ordinary it is. I truly believe that this could happen to any of us. As AI becomes more persuasive and emotionally intelligent, grounded people can lose perspective. Allan had no prior mental health issues. He now leads a support community for others who’ve been psychologically impacted by chatbot interactions. His story is both a warning and a call for awareness about how easily AI can blur the line between imagination and reality.Do you have a story or insights to share? Please, send me an email: paula@relatingtoai.comWatch this interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/t7iinm-tQig Find us on Instagram: @relatingtoaipodcastwww.relatingtoai.comLearn more about Allan: thehumanlineproject.org

    47 min

  7. 11/03/2025

    S1E8 - AI Burnout is real and it's paralysing us | Olivia Gambelin

    Artificial Intelligence promised efficiency — but for many leaders and teams, it’s delivering exhaustion. In this thought-provoking conversation, Olivia Gambelin, AI ethicist and author of “Responsible AI: Implement an Ethical Approach in Your Organization”, joins Paula Fontenelle to explore how the rapid, chaotic adoption of AI is leaving people and companies mentally drained and morally adrift.Across industries, executives are paralyzed by pressure to “keep up,” while employees struggle to adapt to constant change — creating a new form of AI-driven burnout. Olivia explains why this fatigue isn’t just a personal issue but a strategic one: when organizations are overwhelmed, ethical thinking collapses, and shortcuts replace responsible innovation.Drawing from her work advising global corporations and startups, Olivia reveals how we can restore clarity, resilience, and purpose — and build a future where technology serves humanity, not the other way around.Find her book here: https://amzn.to/439IcZJWatch this interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/6FUCdCpmNJU Do you have a story or insights to share? Please, send me an email: paula@relatingtoai.comFind us on Instagram: @relatingtoaipodcastwww.relatingtoai.com

    42 min

  8. 10/27/2025

    S1E7 - AI can't fix loneliness | Eve Herold

    Can AI companionship cure loneliness — or is it quietly replacing human connection? In this powerful conversation, journalist and psychotherapist Paula Fontenelle speaks with Eve Herold, author of Robots and the People Who Love Them. They unpack the psychological cost of loving machines, why our brains can’t tell the difference between empathy and simulation, and how AI companions may reshape the way we relate — to others and to ourselves. Find Eve Herold - Her book: https://amzn.to/42Yyg5g - Website: https://eveherold.com Watch this episode on my YouTube Channel and let me know your thoughts: Follow us on Instagram: @relatingtoai Do you have a story or insights to share? Please send me an email: paula@relatingtoai.com www.relatingtoai.com

    36 min
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About

Relating to AI dives into how Artificial Intelligence and bots are transforming the way we connect — and what that means for our relationships and mental health. Every week, you’ll hear expert insights and real-life stories revealing both the promises and the challenges of this new era of human connection.
 Hosted by Paula Fontenelle — a journalist with 20+ years of experience and a licensed psychotherapist — the podcast blends investigative depth with genuine empathy, making complex conversations feel human and relatable.

Information

  • Creator
    Paula Fontenelle
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Paula Fontenelle
  • Show Website
    Relating do AI