@cstross As a fellow middle-aged cis white male, I have a theory. I've been wondering how the "ZOMG GAI is almost here" crowd sees things so differently than me. I suspect many of them, mostly cis white men, pay no attention to the actual humanity of the people around them, especially those they see as lesser/subordinate. So when they see ChatGPT as nearly human, that's because it's about as complex as their understanding of their wives, girlfriends, and employees.