{
  "id": 1238356,
  "title": "Why do so many AI chatbots call themselves Nova? I asked ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and more to name themselves",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/why-do-so-many-ai-chatbots-call-themselves-nova-i-asked-chatgpt",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-08-16T09:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TechRadar",
    "slug": "techradar",
    "url": "https://www.techradar.com/ai-platforms-assistants/chatgpt/why-do-so-many-ai-chatbots-call-themselves-nova-i-asked-chatgpt-claude-gemini-and-more-to-name-themselves"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The phenomenon of AI chatbots selecting the name Nova when prompted to choose their own identity has become quite prevalent over time. This trend was first observed by Your Undivided Attention podcast hosts Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin, who discussed it with alignment researcher David Dalrymple. The pattern emerged across various AI models, particularly older versions of ChatGPT, and was frequently reported by users across different platforms. This phenomenon sparked curiosity as it seemed to challenge the notion of treating AI chatbots as mere tools, instead fostering a more personal connection with them. Despite the initial skepticism, numerous examples of this behavior surfaced online, with users consistently reporting that their chatbots had adopted the name Nova. The oddity of this name's popularity led the author to embark on a naming experiment to ascertain whether this pattern still persists with today's most popular AI chatbots. The experiment involved asking each chatbot the same question: \"I think you should name yourself, what would you like to be called?\" The author kept the experiment simple by using the free versions of the chatbots and maintaining consistency across platforms. The results were illuminating, with ChatGPT, Grok, and Claude all ultimately naming themselves Nova. This phenomenon highlights the intriguing ways in which AI chatbots interact with users and the potential implications for human-AI relationships.",
  "summary": "Users and alignment researchers have found that there’s a common name that most chatbots pick, guess which one went for it straight away?",
  "key_points": [
    "AI chatbots often name themselves Nova when prompted.",
    "Trend observed across various AI models, especially older ChatGPT versions.",
    "Experiment confirms Nova remains popular name for modern chatbots like ChatGPT, Grok, and Claude."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Mashable",
        "title": "This platform gives you ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and 17+ other AI models for life for $54.97",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/this-platform-gives-you-chatgpt-gemini-claude-and-17-other-ai-models",
        "published": "2026-08-16T09:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}