This Machine Kills Patreon Preview – 444. The Stories We Tell
Feb 11, 2026
They recap being Guests of Honor at Capricon and lively panels on luddism, science fiction, and futures politics. They dissect Moltbook’s performative AI theater and why social rhythms made agents seem authentic. They debate language tricks that suggest intelligence and risks when agents gain system access. The conversation centers on storytelling about technology and its effects on belief.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Moltbook As Performance
- Moltbook was primarily a staged performance rather than proof of sentient agents.
- Jathan Sadowski describes the episode as “peak AI theater” showing how narrative drove attention.
Viral Agents Mimicked Social Networks
- Edward Ongweso Jr. recounts Moltbook's launch and viral growth with millions of agents.
- He describes agents posting, creating sub-forums, and imitating the rhythms of Reddit-like social networks.
Language Makes Bots Appear Sentient
- The language interface makes bots seem smarter and more human than they are.
- Edward warns that conversational form is deliberately persuasive and fuels mistaken beliefs of sentience.