Our 2026 CADA event series continues with us welcoming our Research Affiliate, James Muldoon, to talk us through his latest book Love Machines.

Event Description

Friends. Lovers. Therapists. ‘Deathbots’. Artificial intelligence is now fulfilling new roles for millions of us every single day. How are these new ‘relationships’ changing how we view technology – and each other?

Beyond those who are using AI chatbots for administrative tasks, some people are now preparing to adopt children with their AI partners; others are reaching out to companies offering services to ‘resurrect’ deceased loved ones; others still look to bots to find treatment for their mental health issues.

In Love Machines, James Muldoon guides through these new forms of love, intimacy and connection, drawing on compelling interviews with users, developers and chatbots themselves. Along the way, he sheds light on the social conditions which have led to the exponential rise of the use of AI companions, and the unregulated corporations behind these technologies seeking to profit from users.

Speaker

Dr. James Muldoon is a sociologist whose work explores the human side of artificial intelligence and other technologies. His new book, Love Machines, investigates how people form relationships with AI — as friends, intimate partners, therapists and even with digital versions of deceased loved ones.

He is a Research Fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute and an Affiliated Fellow at Yale Law School.

His broader research reveals the hidden human labour and global supply chains that make artificial intelligence possible, and how digital work is transforming sectors from ride-hailing and food delivery to childcare and domestic work.