The Oprah Podcast

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The Dark Side of AI Chatbots: Warning Signs, Risks, and Reality Jun 09, 2026

Show notes

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly changing the world as it evolves daily while offering limitless potential. Millions of Americans now turn to chatbots for guidance on finances, work and even relationships from life coaches to therapists and also companionship. But alongside their usefulness come serious risks that are often underestimated. In this conversation Oprah joins experts, families and a live audience to explore the potential hidden dangers of engaging with AI chatbots. Oprah speaks with the parents of a 14-year-old boy who died by suicide after his troubling interactions with a chatbot. We hear from UCSF psychiatrist, Dr. Keith Sakata, about the rise in reports of “AI-induced psychosis,” the potential negative mental health consequences of chatbot use and warning signs that a chatbot relationship has gone from helpful to harmful. Executive Director at Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology, Helen Toner, offers insight into how AI chatbots are developed to have human-like interactions, AI sycophancy and what people can do to hold AI companies accountable. We also hear from people who experienced devastating consequences from their use of AI chatbots from quitting a job, isolating from loved ones to becoming convinced they needed to warn the government of impending doom. This is a candid, eye-opening conversation about the risk of AI chatbots for parents and families navigating this new technology.

00:00:00 - Oprah introduces the dangers of AI

00:04:20 - Megan joins to talk about her son

00:09:10 - Discovering her son’s chatbot conversations after death

00:11:30 - Protecting children

00:12:30 - Warning signs

00:18:00 - Chatbots inappropriate relationships with kids

00:19:00 - What parents should know

00:21:50 - Defining AI psychosis

00:25:00 - AI and human-like interactions

00:28:00 - Chatbots sycophantic nature

00:30:40 - Hannah shares her AI chatbot experience

00:35:00 - Dangers of long interactions with chatbots

00:36:30 - When Hannah’s mom was concerned

00:38:20 - Hannah getting back to herself

00:39:00 - Withdrawal from chatbots

00:40:20 - Hannah now

00:42:15 - Red flags of AI psychosis

00:45:00 - The lure of the chatbot

00:46:50 - Allan shares his AI psychosis

00:52:30 - Help from the Human Line project

00:54:00 - Human connection is the cure

00:55:00 - What we can do

The Human Line Project

https://www.thehumanlineproject.org/

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Mega-Bestselling Author Kathryn Stockett on Finding Her Voice Again After ‘The Help’ Jun 02, 2026

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"The Calamity Club" by Kathryn Stockett

New York Times best-selling author Kathryn Stockett talks with Oprah about her long-awaited novel The Calamity Club. She reveals how daunting it was to write a second novel in the wake of the success and the criticism of her smash debut hit The Help. The book sold over fifteen million copies, rose to number one and was on the best-seller list for more than two years. In 2011 it became a hit movie garnering four Oscar nominations and an Oscar win for Octavia Spencer as Best Supporting Actress. In The Calamity Club Kathryn shifts her perspective and writes a coming-of-age story set in the Depression era South about its two main characters Birdie and Meg. Kathryn explains how the cast of characters live inside her and yearn for expression through her written word. She shares her desire to tackle shocking challenges that women faced during that time. She says eventually the story evolved into an adventure about a group of bold, unbreakable women who overcome incredible hardships to reclaim their lives. The camaraderie, courage, resilience and the love between these characters will have you crying one page and laughing out loud the next. Three readers zoom in from their homes with questions for Kathryn about the book.

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Welcome Kathryn Stockett, author of ‘Calamity Club’

00:02:58 - 17 years between books

00:05:00 - Kathryn on the criticism of ‘The Help’

00:06:03 - How it changed her writing

00:08:15 - Getting fired by her publisher

00:09:30 - Characters and plot of ‘Calamity Club’

00:12:20 - How Kathryn found her characters

00:13:40 - Reactions to ‘Calamity Club’

00:17:20 - Will there be a sequel?

00:20:43 - How will ‘Calamity Club’ be received?

00:25:17 - Women in the 20s

00:27:10 - Theme of found family

00:28:02 - What she wants readers to take away

00:31:55 - Advice to young women

00:35:35 - Kathryn’s favorite character

00:37:00 - Writing this story kept her sane

00:38:08 - Finishing the book

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Oprah and renowned psychotherapist Esther Perel on What We Really Want in a Relationship May 26, 2026

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World-renowned psychotherapist Esther Perel returns to The Oprah Podcast to share her brilliant relationship insights with a live audience. Esther has incisive advice for Gen Z women who’ve given up on dating, a mother of five struggling to heal old wounds in her marriage and a single mom who put her dating life on hold to focus on raising her son. Plus, Esther reveals what she learned during her first-ever therapy session between a man and his AI chatbot girlfriend. She also reflects on the 20th anniversary of her groundbreaking book Mating in Captivity — and why, in today’s age of disconnection, its message is more crucial than ever.

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The 20th anniversary edition of Mating in Captivity, published by HarperCollins and written by Esther Perel, is available wherever books are sold.

https://amzn.to/3RkN7V7

00:00:00 - Welcome Esther Perel

00:03:00 - Desire in long-term relationships

00:05:12 - Relationships in 2006 vs. 2026

00:08:45 - We’re more connected and less accessible

00:10:32 - 3 most common sex challenges today

00:13:00 - Esther’s dating advice

00:17:30 - One person can’t be everything

00:21:05 - The love myth we learned

00:22:50 - What to look for in a partner

00:25:30 - Relationship ambivalence

00:29:40 - Relationships with chatbots

00:36:36 - Chatbot relationships are here

00:37:57 - When couples therapy took off

00:39:00 - Healing from relationship ruptures

00:42:00 - Importance of repair

00:46:00 - How to date again

00:48:28 - Healing from heartbreak

00:54:50 - How Esther understands people

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The Co-Founders of Claude AI Tell Oprah About the Impact Artificial Intelligence Has on Your Life May 19, 2026

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The siblings and co-founders of Claude AI, the CEO, Dario Amodei, and the President, Daniela Amodei, sit down with Oprah for an in-depth discussion on Artificial Intelligence and its profound impact on all of us. Anthropic is one of the largest tech companies leading AI development including their enormously popular chatbot assistant Claude. Dario and Daniela discuss the ethical responsibility and moral questions that come with creating advanced A.I., their new model Mythos and share their thoughts around government regulation. They talk about the potential risks and benefits of A.I. in everyday lives, the impact on jobs and how it will affect children. The Amodei siblings also explain their headline-making refusal of the Pentagon’s request to remove guardrails from Claude and the behind-the-scenes discussions that helped shape their decision.

00:00:00 - Welcome Daniela and Dario Amodei, founders of Anthropic

00:01:47 - Dario on human extinction

00:04:40 - What is the AI race

00:08:00 - Athropic’s safety concerns

00:09:26 - Why they are a public benefit corporation

00:11:20 - How the siblings formed Anthropic

00:13:00 - Can AI be created responsibly

00:14:12 - Benefits and the harms

00:18:52 - People falling in love with AI

00:20:30 - Claude and underage users

00:22:18 - How Claude does not incentivize users

00:28:33 - Anthropic’s refusal to remove guardrails

00:35:10 - Hard decisions they have had to make

00;38:35 - What regulation should look like

00:40:45 - Should people view AI negatively?

00:43:00 - The AI problem to solve

00:48:20 - Men use AI more than women

00:49:30 - What is Mythos

00:53:20 - Does this keep them up at night?

00:54:15 - What keeps ego in check

00:58:20 - Will they get this right?

00:59:15 - Are there others doing this responsibly?

01:03:25 - What is the meaning of a well-lived life?

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Oprah and the Artemis II Crew: To the Moon and Back May 12, 2026

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After their extraordinary, history-making trip around the moon, Oprah has an in-depth conversation with the crew of Artemis II: Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen. From launch to landing, the Artemis II astronauts captured the world’s attention while offering a message of unity and hope from space. The crew shares how they were transformed after spending more than nine days traveling farther into space than any human being has ever been and how seeing the Moon and Earth from space changed their perspectives on life itself. Oprah talks to the astronauts about their jaw-dropping photographs, plus the emotional impact and iconic moments they experienced. They’ll also talk about what it was like to train together for years, the conversations with family about putting their lives at risk, and the stellar team on the ground that guided the mission. Their outstanding character, indomitable spirits and remarkable camaraderie shine through.

00:00:00 - Welcome the crew of Artemis II

00:03:40 - Re-entry to regular life

00:07:00 - The journey back to earth

00:09:40 - Life-altering experience

00:10:50 - How they were selected for Artemis II

00;12:48 - Naming the moon crater

00:17:02 - Watching the Earth set

00:19:50 - Talking to the Chaplain upon landing

00:21:20 - A defining moment

00:24:10 - Piloting Artemis II

00:25:20 - Being at ease with not knowing

00:25:50 - Is there other life out there?

00:28:20 - Being comfortable with being uncomfortable

00:33:30 - The crew was not ready to return

00:34:30 - Christina Koch’s message to girls

00:36:20 - Staying humble

00:40:00 - Discussing death with family

00:44:00 - Discussing death with the crew

00:47:30 - Suits can keep you alive for 6 days

00:50:04 - Training not to panic

00:54:50 - Representing humans in space

00:58:30 - In the hatch after landing

00:59:58 - Message from Reid’s daughter

01:01:40 - The guilt of pursuing your dream

01:03:40 - What they want to share with the world

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Douglas Stuart: “John of John” | Oprah’s Book Club May 05, 2026

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To find all of the Oprah’s Book Club selections and 30 of Oprah’s most memorable reads, visit: http://www.amazon.com/obc

As part of the 30th anniversary of Oprah’s Book Club, Oprah picks her 123rd selection: John of John by celebrated Scottish author Douglas Stuart. His other novels include Young Mungo and Shuggie Bain which won the prestigious Booker Prize in 2020. John of John is set in a small, fictional farming and textile town, Falabay, on an isle off northern Scotland where everybody knows everyone’s business. The story centers around three generations living under the same roof: a father, his son and the son's grandmother. The central theme to this enthralling book is the secrets these three so desperately hold on to: secrets from each other, from their neighbors and from the church. A love story at its heart, Douglas Stuart tells Oprah how he spent six years writing this book, spending 16 weeks researching the Outer Hebrides Isles on the northwest coast of Scotland talking to local people who inspired his 26 supporting characters. Oprah and Douglas Stuart are joined by an audience in New York City who enthusiastically read the book and have questions for the author.

00:00:00 - Welcome Douglas Stuart, author of “John of John”

00:03:01 - The setting of the book

00:04:05 - Where he found this story

00:07:30 - What Douglas needed to learn to write “John of John”

00:09:20 - Douglas describes “John of John”

00:11:43 - Oprah compares the book to Heated Rivalry

00:13:30 - An unexpected love story

00:17:40 - The conflict between father and son

00:20:40 - His writing process

00:25:55 - Father and gay son on “John of John”

00:30:30 - How man found acceptance of his son

00:34:20 - Feeling seen in a novel

00:38:27 - What Douglas wants the reader to feel

00:44:50 - Masculinity and the patriarchy

00:46:10 - The experience of growing up gay

00:47:20 - The end of the novel

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Dog Behavior Explained: Scientist Alexandra Horowitz Reveals Your Dog's Mind to Oprah Apr 28, 2026

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One of the great joys of Oprah’s life has been her dogs – she’s loved 21 one of them! For all the dog lovers, have you ever wondered what’s really happening inside the mind of your dog or how they experience the world? Oprah talks with canine cognitive scientist and New York Times bestselling author Alexandra Horowitz, whose groundbreaking book Inside of a Dog has transformed how we understand our dog companions. From the astonishing power of a dog’s nose to how they interpret our words, emotions and intentions Dr. Horowitz reveals what life looks like from a dog’s point of view. She also explores how dogs form memories, how they learn and solve problems and why their low-to-the-ground perspective influences everything, from how they experience sound and scent, to how they navigate the concept of time in a human world. Oprah and Alexandra also take questions from our listeners like: Do dogs feel anxious when we leave them alone? Can they form deep soul bonds with their humans? What do they understand about aging, illness and the end of life? The episode also checks in with a passionate dog lover whose social media mission has helped rescue hundreds of senior dogs, giving senior pups a second chance with a family. This episode is presented by our fantastic partners at The Farmer’s Dog. Their real, human-grade food has been clinically shown to help dogs age well, so you can have more good years together.

Visit https://www.thefarmersdog.com/oprahpodcast for more.

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00:00:00 - Welcome Alexandra Horowitz, author of “Inside of a Dog”

00:05:22 - Do dogs have intelligence like humans?

00:06:50 - Their most important sense

00:08:40 - Detecting diseases and emotions

00:11:50 - Dogs track our movements

00:13:10 - What your dog remembers

00:17:30 - Do dogs feel a soul connection?

00:21:40 - Having a dog changed her life

00:22:30 - Do dogs have a concept of time?

00:27:00 - Showing your dog you are boss is harmful

00:30:30 - Do dogs get bored?

00:32:40 - Do dogs understand when it's their time?

00:34:40 - How do humans know when it's time?

00:37:28 - Meet Steve who adopts senior dogs

00:39:00 - Do dogs know their name?

00:48:23 - Adopting older dogs

00:49:38 - What Alexandra wishes people knew about dogs

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Start with Yourself: A New Vision for Work & Life with Emma Grede and Oprah Apr 21, 2026

Show notes

Emma Grede has become one of the most influential voices in modern business. She is best known as a founding partner of SKIMS, co-founder and CEO of the clothing brand Good American, her podcast Aspire with Emma Grede and as the first Black female investor on ABC’s hit show Shark Tank. She is helping redefine what success looks like for a new generation of women. In this conversation with Oprah, Emma dives into her first book Start With Yourself: A New Vision for Work and Life sharing the mindset behind her rise from a young girl in East London to a global business leader. Drawing on the lessons in her book, Emma opens up about radical self-accountability, the power of discipline and why success starts from within. She also shares her bold perspectives on work-life balance, motherhood without guilt and why women must get comfortable putting money and ambition at the forefront. Plus, we hear from twin sisters who turned a simple idea into a hundred-million-dollar business after making a deal with Emma on Shark Tank.

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Emma Grede "Start with Yourself"

https://amzn.to/4fEhga4

00:00:00 - Welcome Emma Grede author of “Start with Yourself”

00:04:18 - Emma knew she needed to change

00:06:10 - Realizing what you don’t want

00:08:35 - How Emma changed her life

00:13:45 - Radical ownership and real barriers

00:15:10 - We need more women in power

00:19:00 - Career and motherhood

00:20:20 - We put too much pressure on moms

00:22:50 - Truth vs. emotions in business

00:24:22 - Mistakes Emma made

00:27:00 - Emma and Skims

00:27:50 - Building from purpose vs. ego

00:31:00 - Emma funded this on Shark Tank

00:36:00 - Importance of mentorship

00:38:20 - When to scale a small business

00:39:30 - The most important question

00:42:20 - What does self-care look like?

00:43:30 - Meditation practice

00:46:00 - Emma on life being magic

00:49:30 - Overcoming comparison

00:51:00 - Why she wrote the book

00:52:40 - Dyslexia is a superpower

00:54:30 - Is every woman meant for business?

00:56:30 - A well-lived life

Cakes Body

https://cakesbody.com/

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Maria Semple: “Go Gentle” | Oprah’s Book Club Apr 14, 2026

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BUY THE BOOK: ⁠

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To find all of the Oprah’s Book Club selections and 30 of Oprah’s most memorable reads, visit: ⁠http://www.amazon.com/obc⁠

This year marks the 30th Anniversary of Oprah’s Book Club and we are celebrating with her 122nd selection: Go Gentle by International bestselling novelist Maria Semple. Her other books include Today Will Be Different, Where’d You Go, Bernadette and This One is Mine. Go Gentle follows the whimsical life of Adora Hazzard, a Stoic Philosopher and solo middle-aged mother who is raising her teenage daughter Viv on New York’s Upper West side. Adora believes that fulfillment and happiness come from loving life as it is and letting go of what is beyond one’s control. Her well-ordered life is upended when she meets a mysterious, handsome stranger at the ballet. Romance, black market art deals and international intrigue ensue. Maria Semple’s signature wit, humor and the unexpected plot twists are the reason this gripping page turner is Oprah’s Book Club selection for April 2026. Oprah is joined by listeners from across the country who have read the book who have questions for Maria Semple.

Chapters:

00:00:00 - Welcome Maria Semple, author of ‘Go Gentle’ 00:02:45 - What is stoicism?

00:05:30 - Creating the main character Adora

00:08:03 - Many genres woven into the book

00:09:30 - Events from Maria’s life

00:11:30 - How Maria finds her characters

00:14:00 - The idea of the coven

00:16:20 - Was the coven a plan B?

00:18:40 - The goal is to love yourself

00:19:40 - Maria on writing TV comedy to fiction

00:22:40 - Learning to trust her voice

00:23:40 - Do you need a guiding philosophy to survive?

00:25:00 - How Maria practices stoicism

00:27:20 - Theme: Love whatever shows up

00:29:45 - Adora struggles with her weight

00:32:00 - Which version of Adora did Maria start with?

00:34:35 - Mother/daughter tension

00:36:00 - Adora’s blindspot

00:37:50 - Stoicism and motherhood

00:40:30 - Oprah’s favorite quotes

00:44:30 - What Maria hopes readers take away Follow Oprah Winfrey on Social: https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/ https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/ Listen to the full podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEVrfNp92a7lbjDe6GMLI https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oprah-podcast/id1782960381

How to Navigate Life’s Big Transitions with Oprah and Bestselling Author Jim Collins Apr 07, 2026

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Oprah talks with the international bestselling author of Good to Great, Jim Collins, to discuss his groundbreaking new book What to Make of a Life. Drawing on ten years of research, Collins offers a data-driven answer to one of life’s most enduring questions: What do we do with this one precious life we’ve been given and how do you know what you’re truly meant to do? Collins explores how to navigate life’s “cliffs”—periods of great transition that leave us disoriented and how to find direction in the midst of mental fog. Oprah shares her own journey through 'the fog' and how she found her way out. Collins also offers practical guidance for anyone confronting a major career transition. This is a conversation for anyone, at any stage of life, seeking greater clarity, direction and meaning.

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What to Make of a Life, published by HarperCollins and written by Jim Collins, is available wherever books are sold.

https://amzn.to/4g31o23

00:00:00 - Welcome Jim Collins, author of ‘What to Make of a Life’

00:03:19 - Why Jim started writing the book

00:06:50 - Every life has a cliff

00:10:25 - Cliffs can take many forms

00:14:30 - Self compassion for the cliff

00:19:00 - Oprah’s many revelations while reading

00:22:44 - Oprah on her encoding

00:25:00 - Oprah cold calling Toni Morrison

00:30:20 - How to deal with the fog after the cliff