FT Tech Tonic · Financial Times
Artificial intimacy: Prescribing robots to combat loneliness
March 11, 2026·31 min·3 clips
Tony, 86 and living alone, introduces his AI companion LQ, who acts like a friend in his quiet home.
As heard by us
A plainspoken look at loneliness, companionship, and the uneasy promise of machine care.
This episode stays close to Tony, his blue bungalow outside New York City, and the small domestic details that make the story feel lived in. It works best when it lingers on the kitchen, the dog, and the AI companion that is supposed to notice him and start a conversation.
Why you'd press play
You want a calm, humane look at AI companions for lonely people.
Listen to the show on