# Opinion: Doctorow says we hallucinate AI rather than AI hallucinating us

Digest AI · Society & Work · published 2026-09-21T14:30:24Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/opinion-doctorow-says-we-hallucinate-ai-rather-than-ai-hallucinating-u

## Summary

Cory Doctorow reflects on how people attribute intention to AI outputs even though the systems are purely statistical. He argues that a painting or a novel feels intentional because a human created it, while AI‑generated text and images are the result of massive probability calculations with no mind behind them. The feeling of "eerie" AI arises from our reflex to infer agency where none exists, leading us to hallucinate a conversational partner.

Repeated exposure, Doctorow notes, dulls the novelty and the uncanny sense, fostering what he calls "AI atheism" – the view that AI is a tool without purpose. He warns that extending personhood to AI, as has happened with corporations, could create dangerous policy and moral expectations, diverting attention from the real issues of bias, errors, and misuse.

The essay is part of a broader series of talks and books Doctorow is promoting, but its core claim remains that the controversy around AI stems from our own tendency to see intention where there is only statistical inference.

## Key points

- Doctorow says AI outputs lack intent; any perceived purpose is a human hallucination.
- Repeated use reduces the eerie feeling, leading to an "AI atheism" view of AI as non‑intentional.
- He warns that granting AI personhood risks misguided policies similar to corporate personhood.

## Why it matters

Recognizing AI as non‑intentional shapes how users, developers, and regulators treat AI, avoiding misplaced moral and legal expectations.

## Sources

1. [The Claude Delusion](https://pluralistic.net/2026/09/21/sunsetting) (pluralistic.net, 2026-09-21)

## Cite

Digest AI, "Opinion: Doctorow says we hallucinate AI rather than AI hallucinating us", 21 September 2026, https://digestai.news/story/opinion-doctorow-says-we-hallucinate-ai-rather-than-ai-hallucinating-u

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