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# AI Is Not Your Friend
- URL: https://werd.io/ai-is-not-your-friend/
- Published: 2025-05-09T16:38:11.000Z
- Updated: 2025-05-09T16:38:11.000Z
- Author: Ben Werdmuller
- Tags: AI, Notable links, #Import 2025-06-11 21:47

\[[Mike Caulfield in The Atlantic](https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2025/05/sycophantic-ai/682743/)\]

A smart analysis and suggestion about the current state of AI by [Mike Caulfield](https://hapgood.us/about/):

> "I would propose a simple rule: no answers from nowhere. This rule is less convenient, and that’s the point. The chatbot should be a conduit for the information of the world, not an arbiter of truth.  
>  
> \[...\] I am proposing that rather than act like an opinionated friend, AI would produce a map of the landscape of human knowledge and opinions for you to navigate, one you can use to get somewhere a bit better."

The analogy Mike presents is GPS: turn-by-turn navigation gives you the direct answers you need to navigate to your immediate destination, but does nothing to educate you about the geography of the place you're in. As a result, people who use GPS regularly are not as informed about the layout of the places they live in. It's immediately useful but the long-term gains are less clear.

An AI agent that gives you more contextual knowledge about your answer is also one that is less likely to mislead you. I think this would be a very positive design change in the space - not just for now, but also for everybody's benefit later on.

[#AI](https://werd.io/tag/AI)

\[[Link](https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2025/05/sycophantic-ai/682743/)\]