Ghost in the Machine (song)

"Ghost in the Machine" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA from her second studio album, SOS (2022), featuring American singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers. The song is an indie pop and R&B ballad that music critics described as a cross between Bridgers's and SZA's respective sounds. Written in a conversational style, the lyrics express disillusionment with inauthentic relationships, inhumane behavior of other people, and artificial intelligence. They also portray SZA asking her lover to provide an escape from a world that she sees as having been consumed by vanity. The collaboration began with an online conversation between Bridgers and SZA; the two musicians rapidly completed the song a week before the album was scheduled for release. They co-wrote the song with Rob Bisel, Carter Lang, Matt Cohn, and Marshall Vore. Production and engineering duties were handled by Bisel, Lang, and Cohn.

"Ghost in the Machine" was Bridgers's first top-40 entry in the United States, peaking at number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also appeared on the national charts in Australia, Canada, and Portugal. In reviews, critics primarily focused on Bridgers's appearance on the song; many praised the two performers as synergistic despite the differences between their respective musical styles, whereas a few were cynical toward Bridgers's inclusion. "Ghost in the Machine" won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 2024 ceremony, giving Bridgers her first Grammy. SZA performed the song on multiple occasions during the SOS Tour, joined by Bridgers for two performances in March 2023.