Large-Language Models as a Cognitive Virus
Large-language models (LLMs) are rapidly becoming part of human culture, reshaping how information is produced, transmitted, and used. Here we propose that their diffusion can be understood through a viral analogy, with LLM use spreading through populations, becoming embedded in cognitive and cultural practices. We model transitions among uncoupled, coupled, and persistently dependent users, and…
Large-language models (LLMs) are rapidly becoming an integral part of human culture, fundamentally altering the way information is generated, distributed, and utilized. In this piece, we argue that the spread of LLM usage can be analogized to a viral epidemic, with LLM adoption permeating populations and seamlessly integrating into cognitive and cultural practices.
We propose a model that captures the transition phases among uncoupled, coupled, and persistently dependent users, highlighting how the complex interplay between social transmission, recovery, and collective reinforcement can lead to critical tipping points and technological lock-in. One of the most significant implications of this model is the potential for runaway dynamics: once a certain adoption threshold is reached, even minor increases in LLM usage can trigger swift population-wide shifts towards persistent dependence, leading to abrupt declines in cognitive abilities.
However, the same framework also reveals the possibility of cognitive immunization, which can be achieved by reducing transmission rates and promoting reversibility. Our findings underscore the possibility of nonlinear collective transitions in LLM adoption, with far-reaching consequences for individual cognitive autonomy.
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