I’d say I have something to get off my chest, but the analogy amid my recent heart-health issues is way too close to the mark (prayers gladly accepted).

So instead, I’ll just dive right into what this Word Guy thinks is so obvious, maybe others have dived (or tripped and fallen) into this particular rabbit hole. So I’ll either pave the way or join the crowd, if so.

Tell the truth: What do you first think when you hear the word “artificial”? (And no, not in a trendy AI sense, but a before-AI nonsense sense;-)

It’s not really much of a positive word these days, is it?

I think the number one analogy that pops to mind is … “fake.” As in “not real,” “not natural,” not worth eating (artificial colors, flavors, etc.), watching, listening to, reading or thinking any positive thoughts about.

OK, now hook it to the word “intelligence.” Pretend just for a moment you don’t know all you’ve learned or yearn to learn about the amazing world of AI.

I bet most people hear the word “intelligence” in context as something we all yearn to exemplify, but feel we fall short of way more often most days than our dumb ol’ brains care to admit.

So yeah, no wonder our initial encounter with the term Artificial Intelligence feels … less than positive, or even satisfactory.

As for the Trendiest Acronym of the Day – AI – it’s not a lot better. Something along the lines of a comic-strip pratfall down a very steep hill or cliff: “AIEEEEE!”

Or something like that.

And then there’s the disturbing thought many of us have that this external, not-human thing – this AI – has been, is and always will be FAR “smarter” in the book-learning sense than we are or ever will be. Because it’s built to be – and stay – that way. “Ahead” of us, forever.

It’s probably WAY too late, horse out of the barn-wise, to give AI a new label that would not just stick, but give it a better sheen of respectability and something we want to spend huge amounts of time, money and energy on.

(But whatever could we replace it with, anyway? Human Assistants? (I do prefer the acronym: HA!!!;-)

So if you’ve ever had such thoughts, I’m with you! If not, maybe I’ve given you a chuckle or two, which is usually my intended purpose.