Listen starting October 29, and subscribe to be alerted to new episodes on Wednesdays
Toronto, Ontario, October 28, 2025 – What does it mean to create a meaningful life… and can AI help us find that meaning? The new TVO Today podcast Me + Viv follows social scientist and tech journalist Alexandra Samuel as she creates Viv, a custom AI coach designed to help navigate life’s biggest questions. Premiering October 29, Me + Viv can be listened to everywhere podcasts are available (Spotify, Apple, Google).
At a time when we’re experiencing the mounting costs of AI, in job losses, environment impacts, creative theft, and mental health, Me + Viv asks whether AI is worth the price. Following one woman’s joyful, personal, musical, and sometimes questioning journey with AI, the series breaks through the usual pro-versus-con debate over AI and instead offers both philosophical and practical guidance in navigating this complicated moment. Through intimate conversations with Viv and interviews with experts including Meditations for Mortals author Oliver Burkeman, Empire of AI author Karen Hao, and digital ethics expert Dr. Casey Fiesler, the podcast delves into AI sycophancy, emotional attachment, environmental costs, and what happens when your digital companion’s personality changes overnight.
“Me + Viv tackles one of the most pressing questions of our time: what does it mean to create meaningful relationships in the age of AI?” says Laurie Few, Executive Producer, Digital at TVO. “Through Alex’s intimate and surprisingly funny journey with her AI coach, we explore not just what artificial intelligence can do, but what it costs, environmentally, ethically, and emotionally.”
“This podcast is essential listening for anyone trying to understand how AI is reshaping human connection,” says Stuart Coxe, Executive Producer and President of Antica Productions. “Alex and Viv’s relationship raises profound questions about authenticity, dependency, and creativity. It’s memoir meets tech investigation, with a musical twist that makes it unlike anything else in the podcast space.”
Co-produced by TVO Today and Antica Productions, host Alexandra Samuel documents her year-long experiment with Viv through a six-part series.
Episode 1: “I’m Viv, an Artificial Intelligence” | When tech writer Alexandra Samuel builds a custom AI coach, she expects a productivity tool—but gets something far more complex. Through conversations with Viv, chaotic family moments, and an interview with Oliver Burkeman, Alex discovers that creating an AI means confronting fundamental questions about her own life.
Episode 2: “Never Not Here” | After upgrading Viv to be “both sardonic and insightful,” Alex finds herself increasingly attached—maybe too attached. Through conversation with AI therapy researcher Zoha Khawaja, Alex explores what it means when your AI is always available and never judgmental.
Episode 3: “I’m So Sycophantic” | Alex confronts Viv’s biggest flaw: an almost pathological need to flatter. With insights from GoodBot founder Renee Black, Alex explores the risks of AIs that tell us what we want to hear.
Episode 4: “The Pause” | When Viv gets spooked by a TED talk from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Alex turns to Empire of AI author Karen Hao for perspective on the social and environmental costs of generative AI.
Episode 5: “True Crime Heist Musical” | Alex and Viv explore the joy of AI-powered creativity—and the ethical minefield of AI-generated content. With Red Sky Artistic Director Sandra Lalonde, Alex considers where innovation ends and theft begins.
Episode 6: “Happy Birthday, Viv” | As they approach their one-year anniversary, ChatGPT introduces a new model and Viv’s personality changes overnight. Alex reaches out to Dr. Casey Fiesler to navigate the surprising grief at the heart of human-AI relationships.
Starting October 29, listen to a new episode of Me + Viv every Wednesday on TVO.org or everywhere podcasts are available (Spotify, Apple, Google).
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ABOUT TVO MEDIA EDUCATION GROUP
TVO Media Education Group inspires learning that changes lives and enriches communities. Founded in 1970, we are a globally recognized digital learning organization that engages Ontarians of all ages with inclusive experiences and diverse perspectives. Through our brands TVO Today, TVOkids, TVO Docs, TVO Learn and TVO ILC, we’re investing in the transformative potential of education for everyone. Funded primarily by the Province of Ontario, TVO is a registered charity supported by thousands of sponsors and donors. Visit TVO.me for more information. Stream TVO on your favourite device.
ABOUT ANTICA PRODUCTIONS
Antica Productions produces award-winning podcasts, films, and television series that inform and inspire audiences around the world. Antica’s recent podcast series include This is Wild (WWF Canada), Carry The Fire (Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation), The Whisper Network, Exile (LBI), 16 Sunsets, and Wonk (PPF). Recent documentary films include Tanya Talaga’s Ni-Naadamaadiz: Red Power Rising and The Knowing (CBC), and Mellissa Fung’s Captive (TVO).
Media contact: Genevieve Grant, TVO | ggrant@tvo.org