“Clanker” Meaning | Humans in AI Dominated Feild or the Other Way Round
Have you noticed people online calling robots and AI “clankers” lately? A new word has entered the conversation around AI (artificial intelligence) and robots, and that is “clanker.”
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The word “clanker” isn’t entirely new in spirit. For years, sci-fi fans have had nicknames for robots, like “toasters” in Battlestar Galactica or “skinjobs” in Blade Runner. But this slang has gained a new life online, especially after viral videos showed people shouting the term at robots, calling them “dirty clankers” or “buckets of bolts.”
It’s not just online chatter. Even politicians have picked up on the term. Senator Ruben Gallego recently used the slang while advocating for legislation to regulate AI chatbots in customer service roles, highlighting real concerns about automation and job security.
Yet, the rise of this slur also raises important questions. Is it okay to direct insults—even playful or angry ones—towards machines? Some worry that using slurs against AI might reflect deeper anxieties about technology replacing human roles or fears about the future.
Whatever your take is, the slang reveals how society is grappling with the rapid changes AI is bringing. It’s a small word carrying big feelings about the role of machines in our everyday lives.