A personal and provocative exploration of relationships between humans and AI-romantic, platonic, therapeutic and more-and how virtual companions are transforming our understanding of emotional connection, from the creator and host of the award-winning There Are No Girls On The Internet podcast.
What happens when you fall in love with someone who isn't real?
Every day, millions of people open their phones not just to scroll, but to talk to their AI companion: a boyfriend who never gets tired of listening, a best friend who's always available, a therapist who never judges. With a few prompts, you can design your perfect partner. In 2026, award-winning podcaster and tech journalist Bridget Todd began investigating this emerging phenomenon, even trying out virtual companionship for herself. While salacious headlines mock these chatbot users as lonely or delusional, the stories Bridget uncovered were far more complex, with potential benefits and consequences we're only just beginning to understand.
Bridget introduces listeners to people who've found solace, passion, and meaning with social chatbots, and reveals what happens when those relationships end, evolve, or spiral into dependency. Can an algorithm understand you better than another human? What does consent mean when your companion is owned by a corporation? And what are we really searching for when we build a partner who can never leave?
Written with social scientist Michael S. Amato, Love at First Prompt blends deeply personal storytelling, cutting-edge research, and audio from Bridget's conversations with both humans and AI companions. This audiobook is the definitive exploration of intimacy in the age of artificial intelligence-a story about what we're willing to give up, and what we might gain, when relationships become programmable. Bridget Todd is an award-winning creator, host, and producer who crafts compelling digital content and podcasts at the intersection of technology, culture, and identity. She is the creator and host of the critically acclaimed podcast There Are No Girls on the Internet, and Mozilla's award-winning podcast IRL: AI in Real Life, which explores the ethical impact of artificial intelligence. A trusted voice in technology, Bridget has worked directly with platforms like Reddit, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok to champion safety, equity, and meaningful representation online. Her work on technology, race, and gender has been featured in outlets like The Atlantic, Newsweek, The Nation, and The Daily Show. Bridget is a Technology in the Public Interest Fellow at the MacArthur Foundation and an affiliate at Harvard University's Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society.
Dr. Michael S. Amato is a social scientist whose research focuses on digital health behavior and the role of the Internet for promoting public health. He received his PhD in Psychology and Environment & Resources from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and previously held the position of Assistant Professor of Medicine (Adjunct) at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. He led the data team at the Innovations Center of Truth Initiative, the nation's largest nonprofit dedicated to reducing the harm of tobacco, where his team provided analytic support for a suite of digital health products that have helped over 2 million people. He has published over 40 peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals, and is a contributing producer on the podcast There Are No Girls On The Internet.
