AI, Loneliness & the Quiet Crisis We’re Not Talking About

Technology promises connection, yet more people than ever report feeling isolated, overwhelmed, or emotionally unsupported. In this episode, Nina sits down with data scientist and AI specialist Vasilij Nevlev to explore one of the most urgent questions of our time:  Is AI helping us combat loneliness — or quietly making it worse? From digital companionship to therapy chatbots, from overreliance to addiction, Nina and Vasilij unpack how AI is reshaping emotional life in ways most of us haven’t even noticed yet. Vasilij shares real examples, emerging research, and what he’s seeing first hand in the UK: young people turning to AI for therapy, adults substituting relationships with chatbots, and the societal risks of change moving faster than regulation. But this is not a fear based conversation. It’s an invitation to rethink how we build real connection, what healthy AI use looks like, and why ancient wisdom yes, Stoicism might be more relevant than ever.