AI Could End Loneliness. Is That a Problem? | The Rundown

AI and loneliness are two things we hear a lot about. But could AI help solve loneliness? Paul Bloom, the professor of psychology at the University of Toronto, thinks it can. Yes, you heard that right. He says AI chatbots such as Claude or ChatGPT can help some folks feel less lonely. But he also says that's a problem. We sometimes need loneliness. It shapes us in subtle but important ways. Eric Bombicino sits down with Paul Bloom to learn more and to also discuss his book, "The Sweet Spot: The Pleasures of Suffering and the Search for Meaning." 00:00 Intro 2:51 How AI Chatbots Can Reduce Loneliness 5:47 Empathic AI, Consciousness, and the Illusion of Connection 8:51 AI Therapy and the Danger of Sycophancy 11:34 What Makes Us Feel Seen, Heard, and at Home 13:59 The Risks of AI Companions and Social Development 17:04 Solitude, Boredom, and Digital Distraction 23:41 The Sweet Spot: Why Meaning Requires Struggle 28:25 Parenting, Purpose, and Living a Meaningful Life About The Rundown: The Rundown is your nightly half-hour deep dive into just one headline. With host Jeyan Jeganathan, we’ll cover everything from housing and health care to climate and AI. We’ll break down why each topic matters, who’s living it, and what’s being done to make things better – starting right here in Ontario. Slow down. Tune in. Make sense of the moment. And tell us what you think. Follow on social media: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/therundowntvo Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/TheRundownTVO X- https://twitter.com/therundowntvo Bluesky- https://bsky.app/profile/therundowntvo.bsky.social Subscribe to TVO Today to watch more content like this: https://www.youtube.com/@tvotoday Listen to the podcast: https://www.tvo.org/podcasts/the-rundown-audio Check out the rest of the TVO ecosystem TVO Docs - https://www.youtube.com/@tvo TVO Kids - https://www.youtube.com/@TVOkids TVO Learn - https://www.youtube.com/@tvolearn Download the TVO Today App Apple - https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/tvo-today/id1616182112 Available on: Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Samsung, LG, Amazon Fire TV Enjoying this content and want to make a meaningful impact? Consider donating today! https://support.tvo.org/site/Donation2?mfc_pref=T&idb=599945504&df_id=16843&16843.donation=form1&DONATION_LEVEL_ID_SELECTED=1661&mfc_pref=T