{"product_id":"the-friend-machine-on-the-trail-of-ai-companionship-paperback","title":"The Friend Machine: On the Trail of AI Companionship - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eVictoria Hetherington\u003c\/b\u003e (Author), \u003cb\u003eVictoria Hertherington\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhat does it mean to be alone, to be in love, and to make love in a world where artificial intelligence is increasingly present?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn this thought-provoking and deeply personal exploration, critically acclaimed novelist and nonfiction writer Victoria Hetherington delves into the rapidly evolving world of AI companionship.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Friend Machine opens with a close examination of our lonesome zeitgeist, then weaves together interviews with scientists, social critics, and other experts to tease out the complex relationships between humans and AI. Successive chapters look at the philosophical, psychological, ethical, economic, and biological dimensions of this fast-evolving technology. The book then takes a compassionate and intimate look at the lives of individuals from diverse backgrounds who have sought and found companionship in AI.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs the lines between humans and machines continue to blur, Hetherington finds, the nature of our relationships will change in ways we're only beginning to imagine.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eVictoria Hetheringtonis a Toronto-based author, a storyteller with NPR's The Moth, and an educator. Her debut novel Mooncalves was shortlisted for the 2020 Amazon Canada First Novel Award. She lives in Toronto.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 364\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.03 x 8.44 x 5.68 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e October 14, 2025\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48741484691677,"sku":"9781998365814","price":34.93,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0811\/9867\/8237\/files\/nIko5nqJYr9781998365814.webp?v=1789883476","url":"https:\/\/handfulofbooks.com\/products\/the-friend-machine-on-the-trail-of-ai-companionship-paperback","provider":"Handful of Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}