In the year 2025, there was a consensus to coin a ubiquitous pejorative term for robots.
In the realm of pop culture and social media, a peculiar term has emerged, reviving an old slur from the Star Wars universe. The word "clanker," originally a derogatory term for robots, has found new life as a modern-day insult for AI systems, robots, and machine-generated content.
Originating in the 2005 video game Star Wars: Republic Commando and popularized in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, "clanker" was used by clone troopers to insult battle droids. Its onomatopoeic nature, evoking the metallic clanking sounds made by robots, has now found a place in our modern vernacular.
In today's world, "clanker" is used humorously and irreverently to express frustration or disdain towards AI. This can be seen in a popular video on TikTok and Instagram, featuring a delivery robot on wheels, where people express their disdain using the word "clanker." The term is often used to mock automated customer service bots, reflecting growing unease over AI's rapid proliferation and its impact on human interaction.
The term has also been adopted by Gen Z, who are feeling the impact of AI and automation in the job market more acutely than other generations. Sixty-two percent of Americans surveyed believe that the use of AI at work will have a major impact on workers over the next 20 years, according to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey.
Economists predict that the job market will worsen within a generation due to AI and automation. Adam Dorr, the director of Research for Rethinx, believes that AI and automation will eventually be able to do anything a human can do for a fraction of the cost. However, he also emphasizes the urgency of creating a new framework for this future world, but notes that it is not yet a crisis or catastrophe.
The spread of the term "clanker" coincides with the increasing use of AI in workplaces and society. It is used on Star Wars' subreddits and as a meme to belittle robots. Meme creators on social media are using the term "clanker" to discuss and joke about robot racism or robophobia, with one video depicting a man expressing disdain towards a robot boyfriend in a not-too-distant future.
The question remains whether the term "clanker" will still be used in the future where humans are largely replaced by AI and robots. Adam Aleksic, a linguist and content creator, stated that the term "clanker" is a derogatory term for robots that originated from the Star Wars universe. As we move towards a world where AI and robots take over the drudgery of work, freeing humans from toil, the irony of "clanker" anthropomorphizing robots and bringing them up to the level of humans is not lost.
References:
- StarWars.com
- The Verge
- Wired
- IGN
- The Guardian
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