Clanker: A Word For The Machine
Summary
Armin Ronacher argues for using the term 'clanker' to describe AI tool loops, emphasizing that the machine is a tool and not a person. He rejects 'agent' due to its associations with agency, responsibility, and blame, urging language that keeps humans accountable. The piece also warns about AI psychosis, the dehumanizing risk of anthropomorphism, and the need to maintain a clear boundary between humans and machines while noting how terminology can be polluted by harmful associations.