Because It Speaks In Words

An essay on LessWrong explores why Large Language Models captivated the public when earlier AI systems never did. The answer isn't technical superiority—it's that LLMs speak in words, our native language. We're wired to trust speakers, an ancient cognitive bias impossible to overcome. Here's the uncomfortable truth: LLMs have no mind, no understanding, no commitment to truth. They're sophisticated pattern-matchers that sound human but think like nothing at all. As they flood our communication channels, we face a new precarious risk: beings that speak with perfect fluency yet have nothing genuine behind those words.

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