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Artist and Ex-Google Employee Creates Chatbot to Reflect on 'Strange Moment'

digital · 2026-08-07

Tucker Bryant, an artist and former Google employee, has created ChatTJB, a chatbot that is not an AI but a human answering questions. The project, featured by WIRED, aims to prompt reflection on the 'strange moment' we are in. Bryant's initiative challenges the conventional notion of chatbots by offering a personal, human interaction in a digital format. The chatbot is part of a broader artistic exploration of technology and human connection, and it highlights the growing interest in alternative approaches to AI and communication.

Key facts

  • Tucker Bryant is an artist and former Google employee.
  • He created ChatTJB, a chatbot that is actually a human answering questions.
  • The project aims to make people reflect on the 'strange moment' we are in.
  • WIRED featured the project in an article titled 'The Hottest New AI Chatbot Is Just a Guy Answering Your Questions'.
  • ChatTJB challenges the typical AI chatbot experience by providing human responses.
  • The project is a commentary on the current technological and cultural moment.
  • Bryant's background includes working at Google, which informs his perspective on technology.
  • The chatbot is accessible to users who interact with it as if it were an AI.

Entities

Artists

  • Tucker Bryant

Institutions

  • Google
  • WIRED

Sources