What the Bot Saw

Dear Editors,

Thank you for n+1 . It is definitely one of the premier online zines out there.

Having just subscribed, it was disappointing to learn that “comments” are not enabled for your articles. This seems . . . well, odd, especially given the controversial nature of some of the content and a very real need to expose nonsense.

The editorial “Large Language Muddle” (Issue 51) is a case in point. Perplexity.ai was prompted to deliver a brutally harsh critique/evaluation/review of your article. Here is how it responded:

This essay is a sprawling, unwieldy, and often self-indulgent diatribe masquerading as a serious critique of AI’s impact on literary and intellectual work. Its tone is overwhelmingly alarmist to the point of hyperbole, undermining its credibility.…