[blindhippo]

It could be argued that the emergence of the web and search engines in particular has established this as a common pattern long before AI was around. I'm not convinced that AI represents a dramatic change to this behavior, though the point about anthropomorphizing AI likely acts as a magnifier.

[marc_abonce]

I think the main difference is the degree of anthropomorphizing that happens with new chatbots. I mean, most kids in the 2000's didn't believe that they were literally asking Jeeves a question, but a lot of users today actually think of AI as an anthropomorphic being.

[andsoitis]

> but a lot of users today actually think of AI as an anthropomorphic being.

You think more than 10% of users?

[MacsHeadroom]

It's easily closer to 90% than 10%.

[pixl97]

I'm sure we could extend this farther into the separation of people out of villages into cities and the rise of transactional capitalism.