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Computerized clairvoyance: psychics push back against AI-generated readings

The Guardian — Tech · · International · AI Governance

AI-powered chatbots are now offering psychic readings, complete with generated personas and personalized predictions. Human practitioners in the divination industry argue these tools lack the genuine empathy and interpersonal connection that define their work.

Why this matters: This is a small story with a real edge to it. People who seek psychic services are often vulnerable — dealing with grief, uncertainty, or loneliness. They may not know they are talking to a chatbot dressed up as a warm, intuitive human. A fake profile photo and a soothing first-person voice are enough to close that gap for a lot of people. The harm is not that AI gets the aura wrong. It is that someone pays for human connection and gets a product instead, without being clearly told the difference.

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