Jean and Glenn talk guru origin stories—from the dubious to downright fantastical. Why do they do this? What is the point, and what could be the harm?

AI is suddenly everywhere it seems, and the self-help world is no different. A low-cost machine that can pump out a nearly endless string of word salad "content" to push on a willing audience? Perfect!

Jean and Glenn chat about the implications of AI for self-help and how we are already seeing it wend its way into the industry and the wider mental health industry. Tony Robbins has created an AI Tony app! As a fun little experiment, Jean asks ChatGPT how it would go about creating an AI guru. So before you go ahead and pay for any AI self-help tools, have a listen!

Show Notes:

To Listen To:

A Little Bit Culty Podcast

To Read:

"AI has started ignoring human instruction and refuses to turn off, researchers claim" in The Daily Mail

To Watch:

Silicone Valley on HBO

The Terminator

Learn more about SEEK Safely on our website

Follow SEEK on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Follow Dr. Glenn on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Read the memoir “This Sweet Life: how we lived after Kirby died” by Jean and her mom, Ginny Brown

Donate to support SEEK’s mission

To Contact SEEK email info@seeksafely.org

Glenn and Jean talk about the upcoming International Cultic Studies Association's annual conference in July, where Jean is presenting on behalf of SEEK for the third year in a row. Since 1979, ICSA has been building an international network of resources for cult survivors, educators, and researchers.

SEEK's presence at the conference since 2023 has been about drawing a link between the self-help industry and cults. This year's conference focusses on the role of the media in the cult conversation. Jean will present on the media's role in SEEK's origin, right from the start-when Kirby first saw James Ray on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Into the present day, SEEK sees a role for an ever-changing media to help people draw a connection between cults and self-help.

To Learn:

International Cultic Studies Association

To Listen To:

Jennifer French on The SEEK Safely Podcast

A Little Bit Culty Podcast

Learn more about SEEK Safely on our website

Follow SEEK on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Follow Dr. Glenn on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Read the memoir “This Sweet Life: how we lived after Kirby died” by Jean and her mom, Ginny Brown

Donate to support SEEK’s mission

To Contact SEEK email info@seeksafely.org