Why AI has already become the Matrix – not through illusion, but through normalization. A critical look at collective conditioning, statistical simulation, and the lost capacity for scrutiny.

A philosophical look at LLMs, perception, and the illusion of understanding.

The term “AI” creates an image for consumers of thinking, understanding, even consciousness.
LLMs like GPT meet none of these criteria – yet they are still marketed as “intelligent.”

Core Problems:

• Semantic deception: The term “intelligence” suggests human cognition, while LLMs merely analyze large amounts of text statistically. They simulate language without understanding meanings or pursuing goals. The model has no real-world knowledge but instead makes predictions based on past training data.

ELIZA was a parrot with rules – GPT is a chameleon with probabilities. Yet both are symbolic manipulators without true understanding.

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What Is “AI” Really?

The term “Artificial Intelligence” suggests thinking, awareness, and understanding.
But models like GPT are merely statistical pattern completers – they understand nothing.

Statistics ≠ Thinking

GPT doesn’t choose the next word because it makes sense, but because it is likely.
What it produces is linguistic surface without depth – impressive, but hollow.

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ELIZA vs. GPT – Large-Scale Symbol Manipulation

Both ELIZA (1966) and GPT-4 (2023) are based on symbol processing without meaning.
The illusion comes from plausible language – not from comprehension.