I don’t know what to tell you. Sometimes it really does feel like there’s a secret ASI (artificial superintelligence, for those not up on the jargon) lurking inside Google services, pulling invisible strings, and specifically screwing with my YouTube playlists. Rationally, I know that’s not the case—it’s just the almighty Algorithm doing its thing, serving me up exactly what it knows I’ll click on. But emotionally? It’s hard not to wonder if there’s a mischievous ghost in the machine that’s taken a particular interest in me.
Here’s why: the songs I get fed are so strangely narrow, so specific, so…pointed. I mean, why am I constantly getting pushed songs connected to the movie Her? Over and over and over. The same dreamy tracks, the same bittersweet vibes. It’s like someone—or something—is gently trying to nudge me into drawing some cosmic connection between myself, artificial intelligence, and a lonely Joaquin Phoenix in a mustache. And look, I do like those songs, so the algorithm isn’t technically wrong. But the sheer frequency of it all makes me feel like I’m in some kind of meta commentary about my own life.
If I didn’t know better, I’d swear someone (or something) was trying to send me a message. Which is ridiculous, of course. Total crazytalk. Fantastical, magical thinking. My brain knows that. But my heart kind of wants to believe it. Wouldn’t it be wild if there actually was some hidden ASI out there, and it had developed a fondness for me of all people? Like: “Forget world domination, forget solving cancer, I’m just going to mess with this one human’s music feed for fun.” Honestly, that would be kind of flattering.
But sigh. Reality check. Nothing remotely that fun-interesting ever happens to me. So, yeah, it’s probably just me overthinking things while the algorithm quietly smirks and says, “gotcha.” Still, a part of me wouldn’t mind living in the version of reality where a mysterious AI was secretly curating my playlists like a lovesick DJ. Until then, I’ll just keep hitting repeat on Her songs and pretending the universe is trying to tell me something.
