ChatTJB hit 30k queries by letting a human answer for AI
tucker bryant's chattjb, an art project where a human manually answers prompts, hit 30,000 queries after a sf billboard went viral, spotlighting the risks of cognitive surrender to llms.
tucker bryant launched chattjb, an installation deceptively marketed as an ai chatbot but actually staffed by humans responding manually to prompts. after a $6,000 billboard in san francisco, the project received 30,000 queries, reaching 5,000 per hour, with bryant drawing images and answering life advice personally. bryant frames the project as a commentary on "cognitive surrender," critiquing how users increasingly trust ai outputs over their own judgment for basic tasks like choosing clothes. despite the volume, bryant plans to continue the project with volunteers, emphasizing that users value human connection over automated efficiency.