A.I. Isn’t Magic. Lots of People are Acting Like It Is

Delistry, Cody. “A.I. Isn’t Magic. Lots of People are Acting Like it is.” The New York Times, 25 Sept. 2025, www.nytimes.com/2025/09/25/opinion/artificial-intelligence-magical-thinking.html.

Cody Delistry talks about the “magical thinking” that has developed around AI, comparing AI to past technological and scientific advancements that humans once attributed to the supernatural. He begins his article by referencing the literal use of the word magic when referring to AI, going on to explain why AI should be recognized as a machine and not considered to be some mysterious higher power. He points out that AI’s processes aren’t entirely understood, and that the lack of understanding and fear it creates serves as a marketing tactic. Delistry also goes on to address the sincere believers, who view AI from the polarized points of “savior” or “destroyer”, and how this type of thinking feeds into the extreme mysticism around AI. He goes on to compare the mystical thinking around AI to Spiritualism, Thomas Edison’s attempt to use the radio as a channel to speak to the dead, and cameras leading to “spirit photography” because of chosen cultural conceptions. He also points out the repetitive human assumption that we have “achieved scientific rationality”, when it’s proven to continue to evolve, citing 14th century philosophers and scientists looking down on the belief in fairies, but still confidently believing in astrology; or Spiritualists who claim to speak to the dead looking down on alchemy and folk magic. Delistry is essentially saying what many others are: remember that AI is a machine, a tool, and not a supernatural thing.

This article was interesting because it compared some of the current “magical” attributions to AI because of the lack of understanding to technological advances. His example of Spiritualism’s claims to communicate with spirits; and how even upon admitting trickery people who wanted to believe still did, was a unique perspective when it came to the psychological impact of AI. Furthermore, Delistry’s mention of marketing through the encouragement of mystery was also something I hadn’t recognized before reading.