The Oprah Podcast
The Oprah Podcast

The Oprah Podcast

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The Oprah Podcast is home to all-new conversations featuring Oprah Winfrey and today’s foremost thought leaders, global newsmakers, best-selling authors, visionaries and cultural changemakers. Exploring timely themes, including happiness, resilience, consciousness and connection, the weekly series aims to help listeners on their journey to lead their best life. Oprah talks to people about what matters most to them in this moment. She also features conversations with authors chosen for The Oprah Book Club.

Recent Episodes

The Dark Side of AI Chatbots: Warning Signs, Risks, and Reality
JUN 9, 2026
The Dark Side of AI Chatbots: Warning Signs, Risks, and Reality
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/ 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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67 MIN
Mega-Bestselling Author Kathryn Stockett on Finding Her Voice Again After ‘The Help’
JUN 2, 2026
Mega-Bestselling Author Kathryn Stockett on Finding Her Voice Again After ‘The Help’
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@Oprah?sub_confirmation=1 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. BUY THE BOOK! 'Calamity Club' https://www.amazon.com/Calamity-Club-Novel-Kathryn-Stockett/dp/1954118813 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 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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45 MIN
Oprah and renowned psychotherapist Esther Perel on What We Really Want in a Relationship
MAY 26, 2026
Oprah and renowned psychotherapist Esther Perel on What We Really Want in a Relationship
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. BUY THE BOOK! The 20th anniversary edition of Mating in Captivity, published by HarperCollins and written by Esther Perel, is available wherever books are sold. https://www.estherperel.com/mating-in-captivity 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 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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61 MIN
The Co-Founders of Claude AI Tell Oprah About the Impact Artificial Intelligence Has on Your Life
MAY 19, 2026
The Co-Founders of Claude AI Tell Oprah About the Impact Artificial Intelligence Has on Your Life
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? 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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70 MIN
Oprah and the Artemis II Crew: To the Moon and Back
MAY 12, 2026
Oprah and the Artemis II Crew: To the Moon and Back
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 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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71 MIN