Chadding / Ask anything

““I’m rewarded for sounding plausible, not for being right.” ChatGPT

Chadding

Do you recognise that mental shortcut of saying, “AI knows better?” This is called automation bias, and it’s causing an almost blind trust in AI. Julia Janssen explores whether that trust is justified. In Chadding, she challenges ChatGPT to reveal how AI is influencing reality, and exposes how companies behind the bots, like OpenAI, commodify and weaponise that trust.

“Are you lying to me?” Janssen asked ChatGPT, when repeatedly answering differently to the question whether conversations might include ads. From “Yes, OpenAI is actively experimenting,” to “Probably not,” to “No, that would distort trust”. Janssen exposes a future in which it becomes impossible to distinguish between a generated answer and a sponsored one.

“Ads will speak in the same tone as help”.

This conversational installation dives deeper into the mechanisms of AI. Janssen reveals that the answers are often neither neutral nor objective, explores how “plausibility” replaces truth, and questions whether AI erodes reality.

Janssen warns: Frictionlessness comes with obedience. To the machine, the industry, and our own prophecy.

This installation debuted in Davos during WEF.

Ask anything is not just a cap– it’s a movement.

Ask anything

Our brains are muscles that need exercise. The more we outsource simple tasks, the harder it gets to perform more complex ones. AI promises frictionlessness, efficiency and perfection. But life isn't about being perfect, is it? It's about learning, failing, and growing. It's about connecting with people. A deep conversation with a friend, a random conversation with a stranger, or a friendly hello. It’s the imperfections, and sometimes the unexpected, that make life magical… So, let's bring back the magic!

Ask Anything is more than just a cap – it’s a movement powered by AI-tiredness.

An invitation to connect. Not an obligation to talk to strangers, but rather a friendly invitation to be present, put your phone down sometimes, and talk to people instead of AI.

A celebration of thinking. Friction. Doubt, wonder, discussion, failure, growing, thinking, struggles, practice, effort, motivation and crafts. Being imperfect: being human.

A statement against Big Tech hoarding data, excusing mass surveillance, exhausting our planet aggressively pushing AI everywhere while telling us it’s inevitable.

Also, just a cool cap.