This week's podcast picks from the Guardian span true crime, AI and youth mental health, led by a new six-episode series exploring the strange story of British criminal profiler Paul Harrison, hosted by author Francisco Garcia and producer Brenna Daldorph. The selection reflects the breadth of the podcast medium, from survivor testimony to investigative journalism about artificial intelligence, offering listeners a mix of gripping and socially engaged listening.

Highlights include a series featuring Elizabeth Smart and abduction survivor Kara Robinson discussing resilience after trauma, and the return of Michael Safi's Guardian AI podcast, this time examining claims that some users believe they have "awoken" super intelligence within chatbots. Also featured are a light-hearted show about women's solo travel from producer Julie Piñero, and a series from south London's Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust in which young people aged 11 to 18 discuss mental health and violence against women and girls with figures including the Met Police's Commander Clair Kelland.

– New Audible true-crime series probes profiler Paul Harrison's mysterious double life
– Michael Safi's AI podcast explores people who believe they've "awoken" super intelligent chatbots
– Youth-led NHS series tackles mental health, spiking and stalking with Met Police input