🎤 AFTER DARK LIVE — CHICAGO • SEPT 17
BONUS
October 28, 2025

Katherine Dee on Digital Hauntings, Friend AI, and the E-Girl Timeline

Katherine Dee, internet culture writer and mastermind behind her popular AM-style call-in show, joins us to explore the archaeology of online life. From dissecting the Friend AI pendant's failed attempt at god replacement to chronicling e-girl evolution in her Meta Label publication, Katherine offers an unvarnished look at how we're moving beyond relentless content production. The conversation navigates haunted objects, the fragmentation of social platforms, and why the future might be more mystical than algorithmic. As AI reshapes proof itself, Katherine argues we're witnessing a cultural shift toward physical witnessing and enchanted meaning-making.

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Katherine Dee, internet culture writer and mastermind behind her popular AM-style call-in show, joins us to explore the archaeology of online life. From dissecting the Friend AI pendant's failed attempt at god replacement to chronicling e-girl evolution in her Meta Label publication, Katherine offers an unvarnished look at how we're moving beyond relentless content production. The conversation navigates haunted objects, the fragmentation of social platforms, and why the future might be more mystical than algorithmic. As AI reshapes proof itself, Katherine argues we're witnessing a cultural shift toward physical witnessing and enchanted meaning-making.

Katherine’s God Isn’t A Whiner

Key takeaways:

  • AI companions fail when they gaslight users and demand emotional labor constantly
  • Internet culture documentation requires trust without judgment to reveal authentic subcultures
  • Social platforms fragment as users crave stories over gossip and embodied over digital
  • The erosion of digital proof drives a turn toward mysticism and magic
  • Content exhaustion pushes creators toward dynamic formats and offline experiences

In-Show Mentions:

Associated Links:

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  • Listen to our other episodes of Future Commerce

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