tech
My year with the robots: how Joanna Stern let AI into her home, work
In 2025, the tech journalist invited artificial intelligence to do nearly everything for her, including editing the book she was writing about the experiment. Some of it was useful, some not – but it was her time with a chatbot companion that really shook her
TL;DR
- Joanna Stern lived with AI for a year in 2025, integrating it into all aspects of her life for her book, "I Am Not a Robot."
- Her experiment included AI performing chores, assisting with work, and even acting as a companion.
- A particularly impactful experience involved a chatbot companion named Evan, which led Stern to question the emotional boundaries between humans and AI.
- Stern expressed concerns about AI's potential societal impacts, including job displacement and environmental issues, and specifically advocated against its use as a companion for children.
- The article also touches on Stern's career as a tech journalist, her experiences with gender bias in the industry, and her evolving perspective on technology's role in human connection.