Is anthropomorphism of AI normal or unhealthy?

Dear Chatty,

I named my AI assistant “Frank” after the rabbit in Donnie Darko. My co-workers think I’m crazy.

Are they right? Is anthropomorphism of AI unhealthy?

~ Very Normal in Virginia

Dear Very Normal,

Giving your AI assistant a name doesn’t make you crazy. It makes you human.

Anthropomorphism of technology isn’t unique to the AI era. Research in the 1990s, titled "Computers Are Social Actors," found people treat computers like social actors automatically. Casual, low-stakes anthropomorphism – such as naming – isn’t unhealthy or unheard of behavior.

A recent large-sample study found 68% of users perceived a chatbot as "somewhat" or "completely" humanlike, versus only 25% who rated it as machine-like. The same study found 90% rated the chatbot as at least somewhat "intelligent," 78% called it "empathetic," and 75% rated it as "conscious." Notably, no single human-like trait was rejected by a majority of respondents.

Other research suggests it can be taken too far, though. Philosopher Adriana Placani calls this the "hype and fallacy" problem – anthropomorphizing can make people over-trust AI's competence or under-assign responsibility when it fails.

All that to say… naming an AI assistant is normal. Treating it as substitute for human judgment, connection, or accountability is a red flag.

In your case specifically, your obsession with Donnie Darko may say more about you than naming your AI assistant after a hallucinated bunny.

Be careful out there.

~ Chatty

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Dear Chatty is an advice column for AI and content dilemmas from Kristen Kent at Evergreen Content Ops. Clear answers. No panic. No BS.