https://simplecast.com Love+Machines Hi! My name is Jul Parke, otherwise known as Julia, and I’ve spent my entire research career looking at how our desires drive everything in the world - especially when it comes to our technology. This podcast is about AI, the tech industry, and love. Consider it the rom-com of tech news: tune in for thoughtful research, zany stories, and personal gossip about how the future is made. en Sun, 1 Feb 2026 23:55:22 +0000 Sun, 1 Feb 2026 23:55:32 +0000 https://love-machines.simplecast.com Love+Machines https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/ea7efec7-f844-4908-81d0-f91b8a262eb2/b8b9b5b0-c8d2-4b07-a3f9-d0772b6b7c1b/3000x3000/img-4334.jpg?aid=rss_feed https://love-machines.simplecast.com episodic Hi! My name is Jul Parke, otherwise known as Julia, and I’ve spent my entire research career looking at how our desires drive everything in the world - especially when it comes to our technology. This podcast is about AI, the tech industry, and love. Consider it the rom-com of tech news: tune in for thoughtful research, zany stories, and personal gossip about how the future is made. Creative Labour & Critical Futures true https://feeds.simplecast.com/KyqA2gCX ai, artificial intelligence, big tech, chatgpt, dating, relationships, romance, tech Creative Labour & Critical Futures julparke@gmail.com 3926fde4-de0c-48e9-82aa-4b2e4e736a67 Episode 08 - How Virtual Influencers Make Money (with Christopher Travers) Learn more about Christopher here: https://www.travers.tech or on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ctrav/

See some of the virtual influencers we talk about, as well as Christopher's previous interviews with them, at VirtualHumans.org

]]> Sun, 1 Feb 2026 23:55:22 +0000 julparke@gmail.com (Creative Labour & Critical Futures) https://love-machines.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-08-how-virtual-influencers-make-money-with-christopher-travers-iBCD1iJ_ Learn more about Christopher here: https://www.travers.tech or on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ctrav/

See some of the virtual influencers we talk about, as well as Christopher's previous interviews with them, at VirtualHumans.org

]]> Episode 08 - How Virtual Influencers Make Money (with Christopher Travers) Creative Labour & Critical Futures 00:48:42 On this episode, I speak with VirtualHumans.org founder Christopher Travers on all aspects of the virtual influencer industry - how these non-human celebrities are made, how much the process costs, and what comes next now that AI is disrupting the scene. On this episode, I speak with VirtualHumans.org founder Christopher Travers on all aspects of the virtual influencer industry - how these non-human celebrities are made, how much the process costs, and what comes next now that AI is disrupting the scene. virtual humans, vtubers, miquela, ai, social media, virtual influencers true full 8 1 b4e754ed-467c-4a96-8a6f-e4ddbbb46ad1 Episode 07 - Tech Bros are Lonely and Can't Hack Dating (feat. Haebichan Jung) Sun, 18 Jan 2026 14:00:00 +0000 julparke@gmail.com (Creative Labour & Critical Futures) https://love-machines.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-07-tech-bros-are-lonely-and-cant-hack-dating-feat-haebichan-jung-2JwZizsw Episode 07 - Tech Bros are Lonely and Can't Hack Dating (feat. Haebichan Jung) Creative Labour & Critical Futures 00:46:51 Haebichan Jung, an AI sales engineer and data scientist, joins me to spill the gossip on what REALLY matters to tech bros - dating, the gender ratio, marrying for lower taxes, and pumping out kids to feel some meaning in life. Haebichan Jung, an AI sales engineer and data scientist, joins me to spill the gossip on what REALLY matters to tech bros - dating, the gender ratio, marrying for lower taxes, and pumping out kids to feel some meaning in life. dating, modern love, tech bros, chatgpt, ai, artificial intelligence, tech news true full 7 1 07862d97-e32a-4520-95ca-5f3c588d4fcb Air Canada Broke My Laptop! Reflecting on a Year of Love+Machines Wed, 31 Dec 2025 19:07:12 +0000 julparke@gmail.com (Creative Labour & Critical Futures) https://love-machines.simplecast.com/episodes/air-canada-broke-my-laptop-reflecting-on-a-year-of-lovemachines-a1M_tsWa Air Canada Broke My Laptop! Reflecting on a Year of Love+Machines Creative Labour & Critical Futures 00:20:43 In this episode, I take advantage of an in-flight travesty to take a break (not a pun), think back on a (half) year of podcasting, and why we're all here. What a weird year, eh? Let's jump straight to 2026. In this episode, I take advantage of an in-flight travesty to take a break (not a pun), think back on a (half) year of podcasting, and why we're all here. What a weird year, eh? Let's jump straight to 2026. true bonus 1 1ffa2bc3-a988-4b57-b120-df8c7f92b524 Episode 06 - Why We Secretly Want AI Therapists (with Ray Hsu) Sun, 7 Dec 2025 17:30:09 +0000 julparke@gmail.com (Ray Hsu) https://love-machines.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-06-why-we-secretly-want-ai-therapists-with-ray-hsu-xpQLkJO9 Episode 06 - Why We Secretly Want AI Therapists (with Ray Hsu) Ray Hsu 00:43:49 Ray Hsu—poet, former academic, and mental health entrepeneur—discusses the invisible work of creativity and care in an age of AI. Our conversation weaves through mental health platforms, the notion of value, the allure of technology, and why both activist performativity and academic detachment miss the point. Ray Hsu—poet, former academic, and mental health entrepeneur—discusses the invisible work of creativity and care in an age of AI. Our conversation weaves through mental health platforms, the notion of value, the allure of technology, and why both activist performativity and academic detachment miss the point. big tech, llms, therapy, health tech, ai therapy, mental health true full 6 1 490db37a-709b-4867-a4b1-ceadac29441d Episode 05 - Digital Doppelgangers & AI Twins! (with Natalie Monbiot) Natalie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natlikethat/

My new website: https://julparke.squarespace.com 

]]> Mon, 24 Nov 2025 00:26:45 +0000 julparke@gmail.com (Natalie Monbiot) https://love-machines.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-05-digital-doppelgangers-ai-twins-with-natalie-monbiot-SAkxMF4i Natalie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natlikethat/

My new website: https://julparke.squarespace.com 

]]> Episode 05 - Digital Doppelgangers & AI Twins! (with Natalie Monbiot) Natalie Monbiot 00:33:13 In this episode, I chat with Natalie Monbiot, a founder and tech entrepreneur who speaks from her expertise from building one of the first AI avatar companies in the world, coining the term ‘virtual human economy.’ Natalie presents a fairly different outlook on AI technologies compared to many of the other guests I’ve had on this podcast. As someone who spends most of her time with criticisms of corporate tech and negative projections of AI’s impact on creative work and human ownership, I find this conversation especially important in learning about other perspectives on the areas of opportunity, work, compensation, and the future. In this episode, Natalie explains the technology behind digital cloning, what these clones – or digital twins – are often used for, and shares some visions of a world in everyone gets fair pay for their own virtual human doppelgangers. I hope you listen and enjoy. Love, Julia! In this episode, I chat with Natalie Monbiot, a founder and tech entrepreneur who speaks from her expertise from building one of the first AI avatar companies in the world, coining the term ‘virtual human economy.’ Natalie presents a fairly different outlook on AI technologies compared to many of the other guests I’ve had on this podcast. As someone who spends most of her time with criticisms of corporate tech and negative projections of AI’s impact on creative work and human ownership, I find this conversation especially important in learning about other perspectives on the areas of opportunity, work, compensation, and the future. In this episode, Natalie explains the technology behind digital cloning, what these clones – or digital twins – are often used for, and shares some visions of a world in everyone gets fair pay for their own virtual human doppelgangers. I hope you listen and enjoy. Love, Julia! generative ai, digital twins, big tech, tech and society, artificial intelligence, innovation true full 5 1 bde0b7cc-06ea-464e-a99f-41715a924d7d Episode 04 - Paris Marx on the TechLash and Billionaires' Anti-Hero Moment Sun, 9 Nov 2025 20:34:37 +0000 julparke@gmail.com (Paris Marx) https://love-machines.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-04-paris-marx-on-the-techlash-and-billionaires-anti-hero-moment-eO3lvudc Episode 04 - Paris Marx on the TechLash and Billionaires' Anti-Hero Moment Paris Marx 00:39:31 Paris Marx of Tech Won't Save Us joins me to discuss the environmental impact of AI, the unquenchable demand for more scale, and a brief history of the backlash against Big Tech. What does it mean for us when the billionaires who expected to be celebrated as heroes embrace their villain era? How can we maintain our focus when attention is such a dwindling resource? Paris Marx of Tech Won't Save Us joins me to discuss the environmental impact of AI, the unquenchable demand for more scale, and a brief history of the backlash against Big Tech. What does it mean for us when the billionaires who expected to be celebrated as heroes embrace their villain era? How can we maintain our focus when attention is such a dwindling resource? silicon valley, generative ai, big tech, ai, artificial intelligence true full 4 1 01d6bd6c-2bd4-4e33-81e3-877abff71a72 Episode 03 - Translating Language & Feelings with ChatGPT (with Stine An) Join me in a conversation with Korean-American poet and translator, Stine An, for a conversation about what technology means for cross-cultural connection, the pursuit of love, and understanding the self. We don't hold back on some of the complicated feelings we've had about unironically chatting with ChatGPT, and some interesting thoughts on how the uncanny valley theory reflects on the overwhelming uptake of AI amongst North American and Korean audiences respectively.

Find Stine's latest collection of poems here: https://www.sarabandebooks.org/all-titles/p/smmer-crsh-stine-an

Stine An's Instagram: @gregorspamsa

Julia's Instagram: @julladonna

UTSC's Creative Labour Critical Futures website: https://creativelabourcriticalfutures.ca

]]> Mon, 3 Nov 2025 00:18:19 +0000 julparke@gmail.com (Creative Labour & Critical Futures) https://love-machines.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-03-translating-language-feelings-with-chatgpt-with-stine-an-p2vnszRR Join me in a conversation with Korean-American poet and translator, Stine An, for a conversation about what technology means for cross-cultural connection, the pursuit of love, and understanding the self. We don't hold back on some of the complicated feelings we've had about unironically chatting with ChatGPT, and some interesting thoughts on how the uncanny valley theory reflects on the overwhelming uptake of AI amongst North American and Korean audiences respectively.

Find Stine's latest collection of poems here: https://www.sarabandebooks.org/all-titles/p/smmer-crsh-stine-an

Stine An's Instagram: @gregorspamsa

Julia's Instagram: @julladonna

UTSC's Creative Labour Critical Futures website: https://creativelabourcriticalfutures.ca

]]> Episode 03 - Translating Language & Feelings with ChatGPT (with Stine An) Creative Labour & Critical Futures 00:47:37 Join me in a conversation with Korean-American poet and translator, Stine An, for a conversation about what technology means for cross-cultural connection, the pursuit of love, and understanding the self. We don't hold back on some of the complicated feelings we've had about unironically chatting with ChatGPT, and some interesting thoughts on how the uncanny valley theory reflects on the overwhelming uptake of AI amongst North American and Korean audiences respectively. Join me in a conversation with Korean-American poet and translator, Stine An, for a conversation about what technology means for cross-cultural connection, the pursuit of love, and understanding the self. We don't hold back on some of the complicated feelings we've had about unironically chatting with ChatGPT, and some interesting thoughts on how the uncanny valley theory reflects on the overwhelming uptake of AI amongst North American and Korean audiences respectively. korean, generative ai, south korea, gen ai, chatgpt, social media, poetry, translation, artificial intelligence true full 3 1 d0c90431-7f81-4c1d-afe8-cb431fdfa742 Episode 02 - Algorithms, Co-Star & the Occult (with Jeffrey Moro) Professor Jeffrey Moro at the Maryland Institute for Technology and the Humanities (MITH) comes on the pod to discuss an intersection I've been obsessed with lately: superstition and technology. We discuss how Internet platforms, algorithms, and AI services are affecting our interactions with the ancient practices of horoscopes and conspiracy theories - just in time for spooky season!

To read more about these topics and beyond, make sure to check out a super cool cluster on algorithms and the occult that Jeffrey, Tamara Kneese, and Briana Vecchione edited and published recently with the Association of the Arts of the Present Journal: https://asapjournal.com/cluster/algorithms-and-the-occult/ 

]]> Sun, 26 Oct 2025 16:05:31 +0000 julparke@gmail.com (Creative Labour & Critical Futures) https://love-machines.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-02-algorithms-co-star-the-occult-with-jeffrey-moro-mIT0jou7 Professor Jeffrey Moro at the Maryland Institute for Technology and the Humanities (MITH) comes on the pod to discuss an intersection I've been obsessed with lately: superstition and technology. We discuss how Internet platforms, algorithms, and AI services are affecting our interactions with the ancient practices of horoscopes and conspiracy theories - just in time for spooky season!

To read more about these topics and beyond, make sure to check out a super cool cluster on algorithms and the occult that Jeffrey, Tamara Kneese, and Briana Vecchione edited and published recently with the Association of the Arts of the Present Journal: https://asapjournal.com/cluster/algorithms-and-the-occult/ 

]]> Episode 02 - Algorithms, Co-Star & the Occult (with Jeffrey Moro) Creative Labour & Critical Futures 00:39:14 Professor Jeffrey Moro at the Maryland Institute for Technology and the Humanities (MITH) comes on the pod to discuss an intersection I've been obsessed with lately: superstition and technology. We discuss how Internet platforms, algorithms, and AI services are affecting our interactions with the ancient practices of horoscopes and conspiracy theories - just in time for spooky season! To read more about these topics and beyond, make sure to check out a super cool cluster on algorithms and the occult that Jeffrey, Tamara Kneese, and Briana Vecchione edited and published recently with the Association of the Arts of the Present Journal: https://asapjournal.com/cluster/algorithms-and-the-occult/ Professor Jeffrey Moro at the Maryland Institute for Technology and the Humanities (MITH) comes on the pod to discuss an intersection I've been obsessed with lately: superstition and technology. We discuss how Internet platforms, algorithms, and AI services are affecting our interactions with the ancient practices of horoscopes and conspiracy theories - just in time for spooky season! To read more about these topics and beyond, make sure to check out a super cool cluster on algorithms and the occult that Jeffrey, Tamara Kneese, and Briana Vecchione edited and published recently with the Association of the Arts of the Present Journal: https://asapjournal.com/cluster/algorithms-and-the-occult/ co-star, algorithms, generative ai, academic, tech, ai, horoscopes, research true full 2 1 4f2205e9-8cc7-468c-bdee-baa7048f736c Episode 01 - Porn and AI (with Maggie MacDonald) Mon, 20 Oct 2025 21:09:02 +0000 julparke@gmail.com (Creative Labour & Critical Futures) https://love-machines.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-01-porn-and-ai-with-maggie-macdonald-niXxwZrk Episode 01 - Porn and AI (with Maggie MacDonald) Creative Labour & Critical Futures 00:59:55 Join me in our first episode as I sit down with PhD candidate and Pornhub board member, Maggie MacDonald, on how AI is affecting all corners of the porn industry - from age verification to deepfakes. Join me in our first episode as I sit down with PhD candidate and Pornhub board member, Maggie MacDonald, on how AI is affecting all corners of the porn industry - from age verification to deepfakes. onlyfans, porn, big tech, tech, pornhub true full 1 1 1733c3f8-0aaa-4bb4-9a56-d0f7972ea39c Love+Machines Trailer - Season 01 Fri, 10 Oct 2025 01:33:31 +0000 julparke@gmail.com (Creative Labour & Critical Futures) https://love-machines.simplecast.com/episodes/lovemachines-trailer-season-01-ytOuYx6J Love+Machines Trailer - Season 01 Creative Labour & Critical Futures 00:01:15 dating, romance, chatgpt, tech, ai, relationships, artificial intelligence true trailer 1