Unmasking AI: Busting Common Myths

Sometimes, I feel like AI has been dragged through every bad sci-fi script ever written. People look at me like I’m Cruella when I tell them I create AI models. I can’t count the number of times I’ve had someone lean in conspiratorially and ask, “So…is it going to become conscious?” or “What if it takes over the world?”

Let’s be clear—AI isn’t some sci-fi mastermind plotting humanity’s downfall. It’s a glorified calculator. It processes data, finds patterns, and spits out predictions. That’s it. So let’s break down these myths and add a little reality check.

Myth #1: AI is going to steal your job and leave you homeless. I hear this one so often that I’ve started responding with, “Only if Excel spreadsheets scare you too.” The reality is that AI doesn’t replace people—it replaces repetitive tasks. It’s good at crunching numbers, identifying trends, and automating the stuff we hate doing. What it’s terrible at is creativity, empathy, and common sense—things that humans excel at. Imagine an artist being replaced by a robot that can only copy what it’s already seen. It’s ridiculous. AI doesn’t innovate; it calculates.

The truth? AI makes you more productive. It’s like having an assistant who’s fast at sorting papers so you can focus on brainstorming the next big idea. Instead of stealing jobs, AI creates opportunities to upskill and focus on more meaningful work.

Myth #2: AI knows everything about you. This one really gets to me. Someone once told me, “I said the word ‘shoes’ near my phone, and suddenly I’m seeing ads for sneakers!” Newsflash—it’s not mind-reading. It’s just algorithms processing what you search, like, and spend time looking at. AI models don’t eavesdrop on your dinner conversations; they predict behavior based on patterns.

If you click on five ads for shoes, AI assumes you like shoes. Simple. Creepy? Maybe. Magical? Not even close. And let’s be real—most people willingly give their data away every day by signing up for loyalty programs, sharing birthdays, and downloading apps without reading privacy policies. AI isn’t the villain here; human laziness is.

Myth #3: AI has feelings—and possibly evil intentions. This one makes me laugh and cry simultaneously. AI doesn’t feel anything. No love, no hate, no disappointment when you yell at Siri. What it does have is pre-programmed responses designed to sound human so you’re more comfortable interacting with it.

Let me explain this in simple terms—AI is like a parrot. It repeats what it’s been taught, but it doesn’t understand what it’s saying. So no, your smart speaker isn’t plotting against you because you forgot to say “thank you.” It’s just doing what it was programmed to do—respond.

Myth #4: AI is too complicated for the average person to understand. I get this one all the time. People assume AI is like rocket science, but it’s more like teaching a dog to sit. You reward it when it does something right until it learns to repeat the behaviour. AI models do the same thing—they learn patterns through training data.

You’re already using AI. Every time Netflix recommends a movie, Google auto-corrects your search, or your phone organizes photos by faces, that’s AI working in the background. You don’t need to be a programmer to use it—you just need to be human enough to ask it for help.

AI isn’t here to replace real human connection; it’s here to support it. Like a good sidekick, not the villain. So, the next time someone tells you AI is out to get us, just remind them it’s just plain old math, not magic!