Italk to machines and they talk back
The author reflects on their increasing reliance on AI chatbots for conversation, noting how these digital interactions have become a more frequent and comfortable form of communication than talking with humans.
Background
- **Silvestro (the author)** — A pseudonymous writer on Substack (at "silvestro2026") who covers AI, tech criticism, and internet subcultures, often from a skeptical or literary angle.
- The piece is about the uncanny experience of conversing with large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT — not just as tools, but as things that feel "present" and responsive. The title echoes the "I talk to machines" sentiment common in early AI chatter.
- Key context: Since late 2022 (ChatGPT's launch), millions of people have interacted with AI chatbots. A growing subculture treats these conversations as meaningful, even intimate. Critics argue the apparent "personhood" is just statistical mimicry; others find the emotional effect undeniable.
- The post sits in a broader debate: Are we anthropomorphizing too much, or are we entering a new kind of relationship with software that demands a new vocabulary? Silvestro tends to treat the experience seriously without fully endorsing either hype or dismissal.