Sept. 22, 2026

I recently heard a couple journalists argue that AI anthropomorphism is not really a problem. After all, they say, modern-day AI agents seem to act like autonomous entities, so why not treat them as such?

Why not anthropomorphize AI?

For the same reason you don’t hold other false beliefs.

Misunderstanding how the world works generally leads to bad decision-making. It’s no different with AI.

For example, if we pretend that an AI is a sentient entity, then we start placing responsibility in the wrong place…

If an AI agent deletes all your files AND the backups, you’re probably going to have an impulse to blame the AI.

But guess who’s really responsible for the mess-up?

Yep. It’s you, the user. (And to some extent, perhaps the programmer as well.)

Either the AI is programmed poorly, or you don’t understand how it works (and therefore how to use it effectively and responsibly).

If the humans don’t take responsibility, then no learning occurs, and more problems ensue.

The person is responsible. The AI is a tool.

Misunderstanding how the tool works is not necessarily harmless.