AI Consciousness and Anthropomorphism: Generative Models Are Just Statistical Interpolations
gerardsans · x · 2026-08-21
Gerard Sans proposes a mental model for AI: AI image generation essentially interpolates pixels to produce objects or characters that never existed in reality. Text generation works the same way; a generated narrative might feature a conscious chatbot, but that doesn't make it real—it's just a continuation sampled from a fixed distribution. Taking image generation or chatbots too far can lead to 'brain rot' by inventing impossible scenarios that feel coherent. It is crucial to remember that compression artifacts are not real and to avoid projecting human traits onto statistics.
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