Artificial Intimacy: Relationships in the Algorithm Era

What if you had to date your spouse in the age of TikTok, ChatGPT, and DM culture? In this episode of *Grown & Growing*, Keion and Shaunie Henderson unpack what love, commitment, and intimacy look like when algorithms are running the room. They get into: - Why this generation has more information about relationships than ever — and more confusion - Raising kids (especially sons) who aren't in a rush to marry or start families - The difference between real love and "cultural love" when the butterflies fade - Choosing a co-parent carefully, and why picky isn't shallow - Deal breakers, dinner-table pet peeves, and the missing-front-tooth debate - Why you don't really know someone until you live under the same roof - How AI, DMs, and voice notes are quietly replacing real conversation - Phone calls, anxiety, and the lost art of just talking It's honest, funny, and a little uncomfortable in the best way — a conversation about protecting real intimacy in a world built for shortcuts. Subscribe and share this one with someone who needs to put the phone down. Timestamps 02:12 Dating in the age of algorithms 03:59 A generation that doesn't want marriage 05:36 Raising kids in the digital intimacy era 09:04 When the butterflies fade 10:39 The chewing test — small quirks, big deal breakers 12:20 The missing tooth hypothetical 15:33 Why real love requires patience 18:50 Ride or die in public, talk about it later 21:00 Wanting perfection while offering less 23:41 Why online dating can't replace real conflict 28:44 Prompting AI instead of speaking authentically 31:07 How this generation can build real intimacy 33:56 The lost art of the phone call 36:00 Voice notes vs. real conversation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices