Why we're more honest with machines than peop...

We all have a "thing" — the way we act when we're not at our best that we somehow can't see in ourselves. Leadership expert Chris Wheatley learned about his when his best friend at work called him on it. He shares how hearing that hard truth shattered a lifelong pattern of defens ...  Show more

Neutrality can get you through a tough conversation, but it rarely gets you anywhere. Joshua Johnson, actor/anchor for “The Onion” and former NPR host, makes the case instead for objectivity — parking your own opinions for a moment so you can focus on someone else’s story. He sha ...  Show more

For a genuine conversation, consider talking to a robot; the less humanized, the better. Consumer researcher Anne Scherer shares her findings on why some machines get us to open up better than actual people, revealing fascinating insights about human nature that could lead to mor ...  Show more

Human beings are hardwired for social connection – so much so that we think of even the most basic objects as having feelings or experiences. (Yup, we're talking to you, Roomba owners!) Social robots add a layer to this. They're designed to make us feel like they're our friends. ...  Show more

Thanks to advances in AI, chatbots can act as personalized therapists, companions, and romantic partners. The apps offering these services have been downloaded millions of times. If these relationships relieve stress and make us feel better, does it matter that they're not "real" ...  Show more

Sherry Turkle is an expert on both our cultural and personal well-being. She's a professor at MIT, an author, a licensed clinical psychologist, and someone who's deeply concerned about how people connect and communicate. In this conversation with Alan Alda, Sherry shares her c ...