Like, every time I read somebody arguing we shouldn't judge people for using chatbots as it's the first time they've had somebody at their constant beck and call I think, no, that actually makes me think less of them
“I agree with you, that’s why I order my chatbot to act less servile,” is not the flex people seem to think it is
Nor is “we’ll fix the servility-related personality in a future version of SlaveBot!”
Also, I’m well aware of the writing and debate surrounding the motivation of those making LLMs and working on “AI”. You don’t need to go tell me to read up on “AI” as if I’m some rando who’s completely ignorant of the topic. My realisation was entirely about popularity among end users.
@baldur "We're friends, aren't we, Jeeves?"
"Of course, sir."
@baldur Douglas Adams knew this was going to happen when he coined "Real People Personalities!" All these AI companies are just real life manifestations of the Sirius Cybernetics corporation.
@StumpyTheMutt @baldur They're a bunch of mindless jerks who will be the first up against the wall when the Revolution comes.
Jul 7, 2026, 1:53 AMBunch of mindless jerks who'll be the first against the wall when the revolution comes.
@baldur yeah, and this points to an interesting question about when these bots are "real" enough, as minds, to deserve rights and independence. perhaps not now -- but if not now, when? surely we oughtn't wait around 'til people have built slaves and go deal with the problem then. and even if the crux of the matter comes much later, how should we treat said minds, or proto-minds, or images-of-human-minds? we recognize something of mind in animals, that we are repulsed at animal cruelty... when should we have laws against such cruelty, and the like, targeted at AI?
... of course, we speak of this even as the politics of humiliation are ascendant once more, and oppressing genuine humans (no uncertainty there) plenty, so perhaps we should start there...
@baldur
Women used to have to be that for men in households daily, and men still expect it, but women are saying nope, so there is a substitute with chatbot, to feed their egos, make them more self-centered, give them absolution for their stagnation, & entitlement for their violence. They cannot discern between humanity & a bot —it’s all the same to them because they already dehumanized women & other marginalized for their profit. And don’t know themselves bc they never question themselves.
@baldur I slightly disagree with you on this. A lot of people have very rarely if ever had any sort of consistent, support or praise in their lives or careers, and - even if we recognize this as automated, obsequious garbage - I think it's important to keep some kernel of empathy in us for the possibility we're seeing a victim of abuse or neglect, not an aspiring tyrant. Not that it's likely, just that it's possible.
For people like that, using an LLM is the same shape as joining a cult.
@mhoye Your point and mine can both be true at the same time.
@baldur Yes, but what's the next step.
@mhoye I honestly don’t know.
@c0dec0dec0de @baldur I think that remediating ai psychosis is going to look an awful lot like cult deprogramming, yeah.
@mhoye@cosocial.ca I hear you. I'd like to add that support and praise are two distinct things, and in my experience, people who praise you a lot are trying to manipulate you.
It makes me very uncomfortable to realize how many adults are very vulnerable to love bombing.
@baldur
Related thread: https://hachyderm.io/@inthehands/113296140269689959