Remember the ruse

Anthropomorphizing a virtual pet makes the virtual pet experience more enjoyable. There’s a whimsical nature about it, where we know it’s a ruse, but we enjoy the experience all the same.

Anthropomorphizing AI makes the research experience more polarizing. Enjoyable when it’s working, infuriating when it isn’t. We forget the ruse, and so we lose control of our tools.

Anthropomorphizing only works when you remember the ruse.