Can AI offer companionship—or just the illusion of it? In this episode, host Benjamin Crockett speaks with Fr. Michael Baggot, LC (Assistant Professor, Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum) about the rise of artificial intimacy: chatbots that mimic empathy, “companions” that never challenge you, and digital relationships that replace real ones. Fr. Baggot explains why AI can simulate attention but never suffer with you—and why authentic friendship, love, and even suffering remain irreplace...
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Can AI offer companionship—or just the illusion of it? In this episode, host Benjamin Crockett speaks with Fr. Michael Baggot, LC (Assistant Professor, Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum) about the rise of artificial intimacy: chatbots that mimic empathy, “companions” that never challenge you, and digital relationships that replace real ones. Fr. Baggot explains why AI can simulate attention but never suffer with you—and why authentic friendship, love, and even suffering remain irreplace...
Can AI offer companionship—or just the illusion of it? In this episode, host Benjamin Crockett speaks with Fr. Michael Baggot, LC (Assistant Professor, Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum) about the rise of artificial intimacy: chatbots that mimic empathy, “companions” that never challenge you, and digital relationships that replace real ones. Fr. Baggot explains why AI can simulate attention but never suffer with you—and why authentic friendship, love, and even suffering remain irreplace...
In the age of AI, discerning what’s real from what’s fake has never been more urgent. With mass-produced content and convincing deepfakes everywhere, how can Catholics find the truth online? In this episode of Catholic Futurist, host Benjamin Crockett joins José Manuel De Urquidi (Juan Diego Network) and Matthew Harvey Sanders (Longbeard) to explore tools for discernment, the responsibilities of tech platforms, and the need for strong Catholic formation. 01:30 – AI’s Promise & Peril03:33 ...
AI is tempting us to outsource our thinking, our labor, and even our relationships. As technology makes life "easier," are we losing what it means to be human? In this episode of Catholic Futurist, host Benjamin Crockett sits down with Alessandro Di Santo (Co-Founder of Hallow), Brett Robinson (Associate Professor of the Practice, University of Notre Dame), and Matthew Harvey Sanders (CEO of Longbeard) to discuss the profound challenges of emerging tech. They explore how AI is creating a cris...
The Church’s history holds centuries of wisdom—but much of it has remained hidden in archives. Now, a groundbreaking project in Rome is changing that. Join host Benjamin Crockett in conversation with Father David Nazar, SJ (Rector of the Pontifical Oriental Institute) and Matthew Harvey Sanders (CEO of Longbeard) as they reveal how the Alexandria Digitization Hub, the library platform Vulgate AI, and the world’s leading Catholic AI, Magisterium AI, are making ancient texts accessible to all. ...
What is Artificial Intelligence—really? AI isn’t just about faster processors or smarter machines. It’s about the nature of creativity, the future of work, and how we respond to changes that could reshape society in profound ways. In this conversation, host Benjamin Crockett sits down with Matthew Harvey Sanders to explore what machines can and can’t do, whether they can ever truly “create,” and how the job market might be transformed in the years ahead. We also ask how society — and the Chur...
Secular AI often misunderstands Catholicism. That’s why Matthew Harvey Sanders and his team built Magisterium AI — a chatbot rooted in the Church’s authentic documents, designed to provide faithful answers. In this episode of Catholic Futurist, host Benjamin Crockett dives into the story of how it was created, what makes it different from ChatGPT, and how Catholic technology could shape the future — from digitizing archives to “chatting” with AIs of the saints. 01:34 – The Origins of Ma...
AI isn’t just changing work — it’s changing what it means to live a meaningful life. In this episode of Catholic Futurist, Benjamin Crockett sits down with Fr. Philip Larrey (Philosophy, Boston College) and Matthew Harvey Sanders (CEO of Longbeard) to confront the greatest disruption in human history. From mass job loss, to AI “companions,” to the Church’s vision of human dignity, they explore how faith can guide us through the age of machines — and why our ultimate purpose is not something A...
Can AI offer companionship—or just the illusion of it? In this episode, host Benjamin Crockett speaks with Fr. Michael Baggot, LC (Assistant Professor, Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum) about the rise of artificial intimacy: chatbots that mimic empathy, “companions” that never challenge you, and digital relationships that replace real ones. Fr. Baggot explains why AI can simulate attention but never suffer with you—and why authentic friendship, love, and even suffering remain irreplace...
