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2 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.

2 days ago

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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.

4 Mar

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31 min
5 MAR

Are investors getting the Iran conflict wrong? With Robin Brooks

Markets haven’t exactly been calm since the conflict in Iran started. But are they mispricing the risks of a bigger economic blow-up? And how does this conflict compare with what happened after Russia invaded Ukraine? Host Soumaya Keynes discusses these questions with Robin Brooks, author of the Shadow Price Macro substack and senior fellow in the Global Economy and Development program at the Brookings Institution. Subscribe to Soumaya's show on Apple, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you listen. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

5 Mar

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27 min
11 FEB

A hedge fund’s $8bn bet on Venezuela’s Citgo

When the hedge fund Elliott Management pursued the acquisition of the oil refinery business Citgo a few years ago, the deal was already a complicated one. A US court had ordered its current owner, Venezuela, to sell the business, and the country was not happy about it. But, things only got thornier after the US President Donald Trump removed the Caribbean nation’s leader Nicolás Maduro. The FT’s US investment correspondent Amelia Pollard and hedge fund correspondent Costas Mourselas explain how Elliott often thrives pursuing complex deals, and how they might navigate closing this one. Clips from Citgo, CNN, Norges Bank Investment Management, The White House, VTV The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading: Donald Trump’s removal of Maduro clouds fate of Elliott’s Citgo deal How Venezuela lost Citgo Hedge funds hunt for Venezuela’s unpaid financial claims - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Follow Costas Mourselas on X (@CostasMourselas) and Bluesky (@costasmourselas.bsky.social). Amelia Pollard is on X (@ameliajpollard) and Bluesky (@pollard.bsky.social). Michela Tindera is on X (@mtindera07) and Bluesky (@mtindera.ft.com), or follow her on LinkedIn for updates about the show and more. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

11 Feb

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20 min
18 FEB

How a private equity pioneer lost its grip on the market it invented

Partners Group pursued an innovative approach to private equity: The firm built a business serving a market of individual investors. Now, a recent executive order from US President Donald Trump is set to unlock that marketplace on an even grander scale. The only thing is, Partners might not be the one to reap the rewards. The FT’s US private equity and deals editor Antoine Gara and private capital reporter Alexandra Heal explain how the pioneer is struggling to keep up with its rivals. Clips from CBS, CBS19 The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading: How private equity’s pioneer in tapping retail money lost its edge Donald Trump exposes US retirees to new world of risk with 401k order Buyout executive warns private equity push into US savings risks bailouts - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Follow Antoine Gara on X (@AntoineGara) and Bluesky (@antoinegara.bsky.social). Alexandra Heal is on X (@alexandraheal) and Bluesky (@alexandraheal.bsky.social). Michela Tindera is on X (@mtindera07) and Bluesky (@mtindera.ft.com), or follow her on LinkedIn for updates about the show and more. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

18 Feb

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19 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.

25 Feb

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34 min
25 FEB

Companies reap $22bn from Trump’s immigration crackdown

Raids by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement have made national headlines. But behind ICE’s operations, a sprawling web of private companies – from global powerhouses to niche family-run businesses – have secured hundreds of millions of dollars in government contracts. Peter Andringa from the FT’s visual investigations team spent months crawling through federal documents and data sets to put together a picture of the companies that make up this web. Clips from ABC7 News Bay Area, CBS 6 Albany, C-SPAN, Donald J Trump, Fox 26 Houston, Fox Nashville, Fox News, NBC Connecticut, The New York Times The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading: Companies reap $22bn from Trump’s immigration crackdown Trump’s immigration data dragnet The booming business of Trump’s deportation flights For further listening: Palantir’s relentless rise US uses private data to track immigrants - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Follow Peter Andringa on X (@peterjandringa), or on Bluesky (@peter.andringa.me) Michela Tindera is on X (@mtindera07) and Bluesky (@mtindera.ft.com), or follow her on LinkedIn for updates about the show and more. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

25 Feb

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26 min
20 FEB

What did ‘Nudge’ get wrong? With Nick Chater

When Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein released their book ‘Nudge’ in 2008, it caught the public imagination. ‘Nudge theory’ – the idea that people could be encouraged to make better choices through small, subtle interventions – was innovative, and exciting. A decade and a half later, a whole lot of nudging seems to have come to a whole lot of nothing. Why wasn’t ‘nudge theory’ more help in tackling climate change, or helping people enroll in pensions? And, even if it hasn’t saved the world, does behavioural science still have a role in policymaking? Former member of the UK’s Behavioural Insights Team and professor of behavioural science, Nick Chater, reflects on the legacy of nudges. Related Links Can we ‘nudge’ our way to higher growth? The uses — and the limits — of ‘nudge’ economics What nudge theory got wrong Subscribe to Soumaya's show on Apple, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you listen. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

20 Feb

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30 min
13 FEB

How China is fighting ‘involution’, with Yanmei Xie

China’s export powerhouse is feeding global demand for cheaper electronics, cars, clothing, and plenty more besides. But the supercharged competition driving that trend is causing problems within China itself, including deflation and thin or negative profit margins. China’s government has recognised the problem, but what is it actually doing in response – and how should the country’s trading partners react? Soumaya speaks to Yanmei Xie, senior associate fellow at the Mercator Institute for China Studies, to discuss. Subscribe to Soumaya's show on Apple, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you listen. Presented by Soumaya Keynes. Produced by Josh Gabert-Doyon and Mischa Frankl-Duval. Manuela Saragosa is the executive producer. Original music and sound design by Breen Turner. The FT head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. For China, ‘involution’ is a blessing as well as a curse Why China is reluctant to make a much-needed shift Fall in Chinese investment suggests Xi Jinping’s ‘anti-involution’ drive is biting China battles price wars in fight against deflation Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

13 Feb

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30 min
6 FEB

What an economist eats for lunch (in 2026), with Tyler Cowen

If you want to understand food – and eat better – economics is a good place to start. How do immigration patterns shape a country’s cuisine? How do labour laws make our working lunches worse? And why do strip malls serve such good grub? To find out, Soumaya Keynes talks to Tyler Cowen, economics professor at George Mason University and chair of the Mercatus Center think-tank. Cowen has written about food for more than two decades, including in his 2012 book An Economist Gets Lunch. Read Soumaya’s columns here: https://www.ft.com/soumaya-keynes Subscribe to The Economics Show on Apple, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you listen. Presented by Soumaya Keynes. Produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval. Manuela Saragosa is the executive producer. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s global head of audio. Original music and sound design by Breen Turner. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

6 Feb

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33 min

News, analysis and comment from the Financial Times