Wes Regan

But you know what?

That's the internet, and it's full of really weird examples because human beings are weird by nature.

Right.

Definitely are interesting.

And so, yes, I mean, it's validating, it's community building, and it's reaffirming.

And we need those things, you know, as human beings.

They feel good.

It feels good to belong.

It feels good to think that you know something, especially if it's a hidden truth, a hidden knowledge, something that other people don't know that you and a few others have discovered.

You have access to special knowledge.

I do.

I mean, what I worry most about with AI is that we are going to turn to AI for all of our answers instead of turning to each other.

And that is going to create more alienation, disconnection and polarization.

And that includes polarization around what is true, what we believe and values that we hold.

Yeah, I mean, I think that might be Adam Berinsky at MIT that you're thinking of there.

His research has shown that oftentimes when we get in these habits of self-referential bits of evidence and validating bubbles, that rather than hearing misinformation refuted by someone who you'd expect to

be.

So a public health officer is going to refute vaccine skepticism.

You hear it from someone who's maybe more like your social bubble, someone who's maybe more conservative or more on the business side of things as opposed to the government side of things.

And that actually can be an important part of why you might believe that source over someone you are inherently more skeptical or wary of.