“The quickest way is “Losing a good person is not cheating,” begins podcaster Sylvia Brown. “That’s been his biggest source of stress.”
Since creating her Instagram account in January, she’s amassed 110,000 followers as a guru on sex, self-esteem and dating issues. Filmed inside a clean-lit studio, Brown eagerly shares one commonplace phrase after another into a broadcast microphone. The video, about losing a good person, was viewed by more than 10 million people, including rapper Dave East, who reshared the clip and commented with five eyeball emojis. “Stop expecting peace from people who build empires,” Brown preached in another video that has received more than 1.2 million views. In a March article, she succinctly stated, “Men don’t want strong women; they want convenient women.”
Those intrigued by Brown’s controversial snippets may want to click through to listen to her full-length podcast. There’s just one problem. That means it can’t be done. Her podcast doesn’t exist. Everything you see and hear is generated by AI, including her voice, the neon sign behind her, and her expressive eyebrows that dance up and down during a heated take.
This new class of digital dating gurus doesn’t host actual shows on Spotify or SiriusXM. They publish tightly edited clips to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, aligning their brands to tap into the algorithm’s sweet spot: emotional content that evokes a response and is relevant to nearly everyone who watches it. The trend of relationship self-help video podcasts is rapidly gaining audiences and capitalizing on the growing popularity of AI-generated social media influencers, with the industry projected to surpass $45 billion over the next four years, according to a report from Grand View Research.
All videos follow the same logic. This is someone sitting in a wood-paneled podcast studio giving advice about respect and cheating. While this clip is extremely popular, it has the potential to reinforce traditional gender ideologies. AI podcaster Wisdom Uncle’s brand is “Infinite Knowledge” and evokes picture-perfect strength. He has huge muscles and a deep, confident voice. Although his videos are promoted as a kind of uplifting guide, his advice often only pits women and men against each other, preying on viewers’ insecurities. “A man can love a woman who has nothing, but many women won’t love a man who has nothing,” he said in a video captioned, “The truth no one tells.” On YouTube, a video has been posted with the derisive title, “7 Brutal Truths to Make Your Guy Lonely (Even When He’s Not Interested).” “If he doesn’t make your life easier, stay single” — provokes a facile response from dating enthusiasts in the comments.
These videos recycle the scripts of straight dating gurus and glorify unequal relationship dynamics. AI podcaster Nia Luxe wants you to “be his comfort, not another problem he has to solve.” Lacey Vince tries to convince viewers that women often accept the bare minimum by saying, “High-value men don’t chase women who are accessible.” AI presenter Lincoln Coles argues that men are too soft and women are too independent to cope. Ali Banks, a Higgsfield AI-powered coach who believes in “soft thoughts, hard truths,” believes pursuing a crush should be primarily done by men. “Here’s what you do to get him to notice. Nothing.”
The video also reaffirms the one-dimensional view of beauty. Many of the female AI podcasters have a Kardashian-Balibee aesthetic, including goddess-like features, white or light skin that suggests racial ambiguity, and hypnotic facial expressions. They exude self-acceptance from the perspective of a perfectly gorgeous woman who has it all figured out.
