Endless Thread

About Endless Thread

Untold histories, unsolved mysteries, and other jaw-dropping stories online and IRL. Hosted by Ben Brock Johnson & Amory Sivertson.

Publisher

WBUR

Category

technology

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

4 Dec 2017

Latest episode

6 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

182 of 699 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   6 Nov 2026TRANSCRIPT

   She was a ChatGPT skeptic. Then her parents died.

   In 2024, Bridget Todd was facing down the hardest chapter of her life. Her father was rushed to the ICU after having a stroke. Then, a few days later, Bridget's mom died without warning. Suddenly, Bridget found herself grieving, and trying to navigate the labyrinthian American healthcare system as her dad's primary caretaker, all while living hours away from her closest friends. Feeling isolated and overwhelmed, she turned to ChatGPT, and ended up telling it everything. Bridget is a tech critic and journalist, and the host of the podcast "There Are No Girls on the Internet." She's also the co-author of the audiobook Love at First Prompt: AI and the Future of Intimacy. After interrogating her own relationship with a chatbot, Bridget investigated the trend of AI companionship more broadly. She learned the true stories behind click-bait headlines about AI fiancés and reconsidered her own bot rapport. Ben and Amory talk to Bridget about what we have to lose when we outsource our emotions to LLMs, and if there's anything to gain. Show notes: Love at First Prompt: AI and the Future of Intimacy, by Bridget Todd and Michael Amato (Simon & Schuster (https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Love-at-First-Prompt/Bridget-Todd/9781668179826)) AI users form relationships with technology (CBS News (https://www.cbsnews.com/video/ai-users-form-relationships-with-technology/)) Robot hosts, real relationships: How AI is changing human connection (Endless Thread (https://www.wbur.org/endlessthread/2025/08/15/ai-relationships-ai-generated-podcasts)) Bridget's podcast, There are No Girls on the Internet (https://www.tangoti.com/) This episode was produced by Amory Sivertson and Grace Tatter. It was co-hosted by Amory Sivertson and Ben Brock Johnson, and edited by Dave Shaw. Mix and sound design by Emily Jankowski.

2. 

   30 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Gather 'round the campfire: Endless Dread 2026

   Ben Brock Johnson, Amory Sivertson, and Frannie Monahan share chilling tales of canine creatures, Appalachian sandwiches, and legal ghosts in this interview episode.

3. 

   23 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Endless Dread: The Mysterious Lagoon

   Host Amory Sivertsen interviews Ben about the enduring mystery of Brazil's Lagoa Misteriosa, a lagoon whose unfathomable depths continue to elude exploration.

Inside a recent episode

She was a ChatGPT skeptic. Then her parents died.

Published 6 Nov 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] He's going to go to rehab. We're going to do all of this and that. And I kind of realized in the thick of it, oh, this is a different, the mission is different. And yeah, caregiving and losing loved ones like that, I imagine it has to be among the most isolating thing a person can experience. […]

Who has been a guest on Endless Thread

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Joseph Cox
• Brooke Eby
• Mo
• Anand Devaiah
• Emily Kwong

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

23,755,691

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.1 / 5

2,658 ratings

Spotify

4.4 / 5

690 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 76 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

75

Social presence

0

YouTube

93

Engagement

100

Contact Endless Thread

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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