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Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna, "The AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech's Hype and Create the Future We Want" (Harper, 2025)

Jul 23, 2025
Emily M. Bender is a linguist focusing on computational linguistics, and Alex Hanna is a sociologist studying the ethical implications of AI. They tackle the myths surrounding AI, debunking the exaggerated claims of both 'AI doomers' and 'AI boosters.' The conversation emphasizes the dangers of AI hype, revealing how it fuels profit-driven agendas that threaten human creativity. They discuss the ethical issues of automation in healthcare and education, advocating for critical thinking and genuine human connections over reliance on AI tools.
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INSIGHT

AI Companionship is Hype

  • AI companionship is a marketing strategy, not genuine social connection.
  • People want real human connections, not AI-simulated conversations.
INSIGHT

Doomers and Boosters Share Fantasies

  • AI doomers and boosters share the same fantasy of AI inevitability.
  • Both extremes overlook the complex reality of AI's actual capabilities and risks.
INSIGHT

AI is a Marketing Term

  • AI is a marketing term lacking a coherent technology definition.
  • Systems like Grok amplify biases by training on unfiltered, often toxic data.
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