Is an AI backlash brewing? What ‘clanker’ says about growing frustrations with emerging tech

Submission statement: “It’s a slur for the AI age.

“Clanker,” a word that traces back to [a Star Wars video game](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Clanker/Legends), has emerged in recent weeks as the internet’s favorite epithet for any kind of technology looking to replace humans. On TikTok, people harass robots [in stores](https://www.tiktok.com/@semdenpriv/video/7523334777445960990) and [on sidewalks](https://www.tiktok.com/@special_kram/video/7532601741980863757) with it. Search interest for the term [has spiked](https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=today%203-m&geo=US&q=clanker&hl=en). On X, Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., used the term last week to tout a new piece of legislation.”

Perhaps people are sick and tired of worrying for their future, and see these technologies as symbolic of these anxieties – as the final triumph of the rich and powerful over the common man, because with sufficiently advaanced robotic technology, a man’s labor will be useless. Under our current culture, if you have no useful labor and no stored wealth, you have nothing; you’ll be left to beg on the streets, homeless and cold, until you die of exposure, malnutrition, or preventable disease.

People are freaked out by that potential future, in large part because they see exactly zero rich and powerful people promising that everyone will be taken care of regardless of what happens. No, instead the response – particularly from the current admin – is “you’re on your own, sucks to suck.”

So, people fight back in the ways they can.

I think AI is the first time there’s actually no facade of “yes, these jobs will go, but all these new jobs will appear!!”

They are literally going on stage and being like oh yeah if you’re a doctor, a lawyer, literally any highly paid job? You’re fucked, good luck!!

This is of course a bold faced lie but you can’t blame people for getting mad about it

In 1915 there were 27 million horses in the US. Then cars and tractors took their jobs and by 1965 there were only 3 million.

Now humans face the same threat, but humans have self-awareness that horses lack. It’s true humans often fail to look after their best interests, but history also shows that eventually we come around.

The ruling class wants to replace the poors with AI and robots to save money, but I remain optimistic that the ruthless squeezing they’re doing now will spark one of the biggest backlashes in history.

That, or the alpha male bros stand around screaming about how there’s no such thing as toxic masculinity while they wave guns at each other and terrorize their families while the world burns around us and humanity goes extinct. You knowc 50-50.

I’m just sick of hearing about it, from all publications and on YouTube and Reddit.

I almost wish it would just take over the world without having to scroll past clickbait titles everywhere.

also, I’m pretty tired of hearing the term “AI” . Like I get it, that’s what we’re calling LLMs and neural nets, which aren’t actually artificial intelligence, but sure let’s just call it that, its just easier for everybody. Now we can at least call it clanker I guess.

I see people against AI as likely the lower intellect bunch. They dont understand it or how to use it, so they rebel against it. Much like people did with computers and the internet.

After a adjustment period, it’ll be an every day staple like computers and the internet became. We can’t imagine life without both now. They also replaced a lot of jobs.

AI is just an incredibly effective tool that will help with productivity. It will indeed affect jobs. All new incredible tools do. If you are in an affected Industry, start making yourself invaluable or start looking into a new profession. You won’t stop progress.

younger generations have a tendency to reject things created by older generations… also added to the fact that now they grow up in a world saturated with AI, so they will also be treating it as something ordinary.