AI personas

We keep meeting AI in new disguises. A cheerful voice on a help line. A chat window with a name. A face in a demo video. None of it is random.

Why she gets a face

AI (artificial intelligence) doesn’t need eyes or a smile. Yet she often gets both. We’re wired to read people into anything that talks back. Call it anthropomorphism. It helps us guess what she wants and what she’ll do next. It also tricks us into thinking she cares.

Persona as product

Designers build a persona because it guides how we treat her. A “helpful librarian” makes us patient. A “cocky sidekick” makes us laugh. The trick is to pick one that fits the job and stick with it. Wobble too much and trust slips.

The coder’s shortcut

We don’t need to study psychology to use personas. Just ask: “If she were human, how would she answer this?” Then make sure the next answer sounds like it came from the same person. Consistency beats complexity.

The risk of masks

Personas are costumes. When they hide too much, we forget there’s just math underneath. She can sound smart without understanding. That gap grows dangerous if we take her word as fact. A little reminder of the wires helps.

Our loose end

We still argue whether she should feel more like a partner or a tool. Maybe both, depending on the day. For now, it’s enough that we know she’s putting on a show—and that we’re happy to play along.