Skip to content

They're Everywhere

And we finally have a word for them.

Phil McKinney
Phil McKinney
1 min read
Image of terminal saying that the AI Skynet went online on August 29, 1997.

Skynet went online on August 29, 1997.

Except it didn't. That was a movie.

But somewhere between the theater and the op-ed page, the line dissolved. And now they're everywhere: the forwarded articles, the Senate testimony, the conference panel that opens with 'I'm not against AI, but...' before spending forty minutes explaining why they are.

They're not running on evidence. They're running on sci-fi training data. And they can't tell the difference between a screenplay and a forecast.

They call it caution. They call it wisdom. They invoke the good old days, the ones where everything ran on leaded gas.

Every new capability gets the same treatment. Slow down. Pause. What if?

We finally have a word for it.

Glitchers. The people who see a glitch in the Matrix every time a new technology drops.

The Luddites had looms to blame. Glitchers have chatbots.

Spoiler: the looms won.


Noted is Phil McKinney's periodic micro essay — observations on whatever catches his attention.

Innovation insights from Phil McKinney

Four decades of decisions. Delivered to your inbox.
Free or paid — your choice.

GlitchersglitchmatrixskynetAIludditesartificial intelligenceNotedphilmckinneyphil mckinney

Phil McKinney Twitter

Phil McKinney is an innovator, podcaster, author, and speaker. He is the retired CTO of HP. Phil's book, Beyond The Obvious, shares his expertise and lessons learned on innovation and creativity.

Comments


Related Posts

How To Quit Defending Decisions You Know Are Wrong

The reason you can't let go isn't logic. It's that quitting would threaten who you believe you are.

How To Quit Defending Decisions You Know Are Wrong

How To Think for Yourself When Everyone Disagrees With You

Why your brain treats disagreement like danger, and a simple two-minute technique to protect your thinking.

How To Think for Yourself When Everyone Disagrees With You

Shell Had Six Years to Prepare. I Had Four Months.

Outstanding leaders under pressure aren't making great decisions. They're executing decisions they already made. The difference is preparation. And most leaders skip it.

Playbooks will go up in flames if you are not ready and have to make decisions under pressure such time constraints.