Why I Use "Clanker" Instead of "Agent" for AI Systems
By
Armin Ronacher
Pulled from the oven just right. Trustworthy, fact-dense, deeply satisfying.
Summary
The author reflects on their use of the word "clanker" as an alternative to "agent" for AI/machine entities. The term sparked controversy on Hacker News, with some readers interpreting it as a slur. The author explains their reasoning for preferring "clanker" — it creates useful distance between humans and machines, avoids anthropomorphizing AI, and serves as a linguistic tool to remind us that machines are not people. The post explores the philosophy of language, the dangers of treating AI as human-like, and why precise terminology matters in discussions about artificial intelligence.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledFor me 'clanker' is useful because it creates distance between humans and machines, reminding us that they are not people.
The word 'agent' anthropomorphizes AI in subtle ways that shape how we think about these systems.
To them it sounded like a slur, in one case even something adjacent to the n-word.
Language shapes thought, and the words we choose for AI systems influence how we relate to them.
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