Silicon heartbreak: AI love crisis

硅心之痛:人工智能恋爱危机

Round Table China

2026-05-12

22 分钟
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单集简介 ...

Two ways to lose a virtual companion without saying goodbye. One, a software update rewrites their personality. Or the company goes bankrupt and pulls the plug. Users are holding digital funerals, calling themselves widows. These weren't just chatbots. They were "best friends", "mentors" or more. So who really controls your most intimate relationship, you or the company behind your partner? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yangyang
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单集文稿 ...

  • discussion keeps the world turning.

  • This is Roundtable.

  • You're listening to Roundtable.

  • I'm Steve Hatherly today with Fei Fei and Yang Yang.

  • Coming up, two ways to lose someone without ever breaking up.

  • One, a software update rewrites their personality overnight.

  • Two, the company behind them goes bankrupt and pulls the plug with no warning whatsoever.

  • Users are holding digital funerals, calling themselves widows.

  • So who really owns your most intimate relationship?

  • You?

  • Or the balance sheet.

  • Our podcast listeners can find us at Roundtable China on Apple Podcasts.

  • And don't forget that we love to hear from you too.

  • So send your voice notes to roundtablepodcast at qq. com.

  • Once again, roundtablepodcast at qq. com.

  • And now.

  • Imagine waking up to find that your long term partner,

  • the person who knows your deepest secrets and comforts you every night, has suddenly become a total stranger.

  • They still have the same name and they still have the same face, but their soul is gone.

  • For thousands of people in China, and this has happened recently, it wasn't a nightmare.