# Opinion: AI has no intent or motivation, author argues

Digest AI · Society & Work · published 2026-09-24T09:13:25Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/opinion-ai-has-no-intent-or-motivation-author-argues

## Summary

An opinion piece argues that fears of AI going rogue are misplaced because large language models (LLMs) lack intent and motivation. The author contends that while LLMs may appear intelligent, they are not driven by biological needs or reward mechanisms after training. Unlike humans, who are motivated by survival and social needs, LLMs do not have desires, needs, or a feedback loop for pride or reward. The author distinguishes between the concerns of technical experts like Geoffrey Hinton and Demis Hassabis, who worry about AI risks, and business figures who may exaggerate threats for profit. The piece suggests that even if AI surpasses human intelligence, the lack of intrinsic motivation makes it harmless. Any harmful action by an AI would be a result of human prompting, not autonomous intent. The author concludes that the real danger lies in human misuse of AI, not in the AI itself developing a will to act against humanity.

## Key points

- Author argues LLMs lack intent and motivation, unlike humans driven by biological needs.
- LLMs do not have reward loops after training, so they do not seek to achieve goals.
- Harmful AI actions are attributed to human prompting, not autonomous AI decision-making.

## Why it matters

This perspective challenges prevailing narratives about AI existential risk, suggesting that the lack of intrinsic motivation in current LLMs makes autonomous rogue behavior impossible, shifting focus to human misuse.

## Sources

1. [AI has no intent and no motivation](https://i-programmer.info/news/245-view-point/19164-ai-has-no-motivation.html) (i-programmer.info, 2026-09-24)

## Cite

Digest AI, "Opinion: AI has no intent or motivation, author argues", 24 September 2026, https://digestai.news/story/opinion-ai-has-no-intent-or-motivation-author-argues

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