Which AI myth will we embrace?
NEW YORK — It is telling that Anthropic chose to call its most powerful artificial intelligence (AI) model “Mythos.” In ancient Greek, the word denotes an original reality that we can imitate or embody through the stories we tell ourselves and one another. Pliny the Elder tells us that the fifth-century Greek painter Zeuxis rendered grapes so realistically as to fool even the birds. But stories…
Artificial intelligence (AI) has long been shrouded in myths, with one prominent example being Anthropic's decision to name its most powerful AI model "Mythos." Derived from ancient Greek, the term signifies an original reality that can be emulated or embodied through the narratives we share. This is exemplified by the work of fifth-century Greek painter Zeuxis, who so accurately depicted grapes that even birds were deceived.
However, stories are not merely imitations of existing realities. They also have the power to create new realities by expressing what is possible. A prime example of this is the revolutionary opening words of the American Declaration of Independence, which emphasized individual freedom regardless of class, property ownership, or religious or political beliefs. By using this mythos, the Founding Fathers established a foundation for governance centered around liberty and equality.
AI models embody both types of storytelling. On one hand, they imitate past human thinking by seeking out relevant patterns from vast databases of previously archived material when responding to user prompts. On the other hand, they have the potential to generate new realities by expressing possibilities that were previously unexplored or unrealized.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 1 other outlet
- Which AI myth will we embrace? koreatimes.co.kr
