Episode 377: Tyler Funk and the rise of AI companions

Nov 12

Nov 12 Episode 377: Tyler Funk and the rise of AI companions

Are AI companions the next frontier in socio-digital relationships? Filmmaker Tyler Funk enters the world of AI companions in Bot Love, his documentary feature currently streaming on CBC Gem and the CBC Docs YouTube channel. Bot Love is a character-driven documentary exploring sex, loneliness, and a question at the centre of a rapidly changing world: if artificial intimacy feels real, what does that mean for human connection? The film follows people navigating relationships with AI, each arriving from a different place.

Tyler previously appeared on the YVR Screen Scene Podcast to discuss Anything For Fame, his searing and sensitive documentary about influencers that he made through the National Film Board of Canada. Anything For Fame shone a spotlight on the inner world of influencers, and Tyler approached Bot Love with similar compassion, empathy, and lack of prejudice. In this compelling conversation with Sabrina, Tyler reflects on his time in the world of AI companions, why he’s fascinated with the socio-digital landscape, and the impact of AI relationships on human ones.

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CREDITS
Host and executive producer: Sabrina Rani-Kiperchuk Furminger
Editor: Simon Furminger
Producer: Paul Furminger
Patreon ad reader: Mariana Furminger
Original music: Dane Deviller