arXiv Computation and Language
Oct 1

Anthropomorphism in the age of Large Language Models: An overview of potential risks and mitigations

arXiv:2609.38486v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: Large Language Models (LLMs) and more broadly Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems are often described and understood in human-like terms, a phenomen...

By Ismael T. Freire, Marceau Nahon, Maud van Lier, Katie Evans, H\'elie Bazin, Michele Farisco, Kathinka Evers, Raja Chatila, Mehdi Khamassi
arXiv AI
Jun 11

Position: Stop Anthropomorphizing Intermediate Tokens as Reasoning/Thinking Traces!

arXiv:2504. 09762v4 Announce Type: replace Abstract: Intermediate token generation (ITG), where a model produces output before the solution, has become a standard method to improve the performance of language models on reasoning tasks.

By Subbarao Kambhampati, Karthik Valmeekam, Siddhant Bhambri, Vardhan Palod, Lucas Saldyt, Kaya Stechly, Soumya Rani Samineni, Durgesh Kalwar, Upasana Biswas
arXiv AI
Sep 12

Some hypotheses on how chatbots work in problem-solution-driven conversations: Large Language Models as confirmation of the Innovation Illusion

The article examines chatbots as partners in problem‑solving conversations, arguing that basic chatbots—comprising a large language model (LLM) and a simple interface—are multifaceted but cannot match human cognitive flexibility. Drawing on Aggregation Dynamics, Cognitive Linguistics, Neuropsychology, and Psychology, the authors describe how LLMs encode artificial metaphorical problem propagations from training data, which only partially imitate human thinking. They conclude that further LLM development will not yield true thinking partners, yet chatbots are widely used, making their understanding socially and politically important.

By S. F. M. van Vlijmen, H. D. Lethe jr
arXiv AI
Oct 31

Incorporating Machine-Others: An Enactive Exploration of Human-LLM Interactions

The paper argues that new interactional concepts are needed to understand how humans change when engaging with large language models (LLMs). Drawing on enactive theory and the notion of Linguistic Bodies, it proposes that humans incorporate LLMs both as tools that enable specific skills and as linguistic partners that shape identity and language use. The authors introduce the idea of "susceptive sense‑making" to describe the heightened semiotic labor involved when friction is absent in these interactions, and suggest that this dynamic may affect users’ autonomy and development.

By Elena C. Cuffari, Marta P\'erez-Verdugo, Xabier E. Barandiaran