OpinionJuly 17, 2026 — 7:23pmI love the stupidity of AI. How can something that is attracting trillions of dollars of investment, bleeding the world of water and electricity, and upending various economies be so dumb?Oh, I’m sure it can do some things. Apparently it’s good at coding and big data medical research. But so often it shows less ability than the most ill-informed human.From my experience, AI is still like a Dalek contemplating a set of stairs.BBCThis, of course, is good news for people. It’s like the moment the Daleks from Doctor Who first encountered a set of stairs. Hurrah, said we humans. They can’t defeat us yet.Those who’ve tried to use AI as a research tool talk about its eagerness to please. It’s like a dog wagging its tail and saying, “whatever you want, boss”. If, by your questioning, you’ve indicated a preference for a particular answer, AI will cheer on your preconceptions.Personally, I have a preconception that I am a brilliant writer whose books are full of genius. Of course, AI agrees.The latest AI-powered scam is to send emails to authors whose books are listed on Amazon. Poor old authors! We make hardly any money but we are desperate for attention. And that means we are ripe for scamming.In my case, I receive two or three emails every week. Each email describes one of my books at inordinate length and in terms so glowing even I think it’s ridiculous. I’ve read the books and they’re not that good.Yet various of them are “superb”, “an amazing contribution” and “deserving of a wider audience”. The gush, it should be said, then describes individual scenes in each book, including character names, praising their “brilliance”.Then, after about 1000 words of this computer-generated rubbish, comes the pitch. This supposed person runs a book club or a literary festival and, if only I would make contact, they’d love to help me achieve a wider audience in North America.Yeah, sure.I’m in the author business but I assume there are similar pitches targeting doctors and engineers and all manners of other professions. “I have just read your brilliant scientific paper on metallurgical reactions in underwater ecosystems and believe it worthy of a wider audience …”So why do I say AI is dumb? For the cost of nothing it’s generated these emails. Presumably some people are scammed.Humans understand that if, in the past week, I’ve bought a new mattress, I’m unlikely to need another mattress. Not so AI.But here’s why AI is still the equivalent of a Dalek contemplating a set of stairs. For a start, you can tell within two sentences that it’s not written by a human. It lacks the rhythm and personality of real writing and is gushy to a degree that makes any normal person laugh out loud.And then, gloriously, there will be some spectacular error. The latest email to hit my inbox, for example, praises my book Leonidas, A Poem, Vol. 2 – a lengthy epic poem set in Ancient Greece.As the email put it: “Your masterful portrayal of King Leonidas, the unwavering Spartan warriors, Melissa, Megistias, Medon, Maron, and the indomitable Greek spirit creates an unforgettable literary experience that celebrates the enduring values of courage, sacrifice, honour, leadership, and the relentless pursuit of freedom.”The work is “truly extraordinary”, according to the email, and deserving of a wider audience. And if only I would make contact …One problem. The author is Richard Glover, it’s true, but this Richard Glover was a British poet who died in 1785. I’m sure he’d love to gain a wider audience in the United States but I wonder how he’ll pay for their services? How many doubloons will they charge? Will he be able to make the trip to the literary festival, since he’s been dead for 241 years? Will he be willing to board the aeroplane, since he’s more accustomed to travel by sail?Again, any vaguely sentient human would question whether any author, alive and with an email address, could really have been the author of a book published in 1737. But not AI. It’s dumb. So dumb.Scams, of course, are only one aspect of the dumbness of AI. With its help, advertisers pay extra to present me with “customised advertising”. This inevitably involves trying to sell me something that I’ve only just purchased. Humans understand that if, in the past week, I’ve bought a new mattress, I’m unlikely to need another mattress. Ditto a return flight to Tokyo, a set of tyres or a new couch. Not so AI. Whatever you bought last week, you’ll now want to buy 20 more of the same.My favourite example is that cited by the Australian academic Toby Walsh. He asked AI how many b’s are in the word “banana” and he was told there are two or three b’s in banana. That’s because the most common question about the spelling of “banana” is how many a’s or n’s the word contains, so AI assumes that’s what you must be asking. No one has ever asked how many b’s are in “banana” as the answer is obvious – well, obvious providing you are not an AI bot.Meanwhile, I may reply “yes” on behalf of Richard Glover, the 18th-century poet. He’d love to come to America – just as soon as they’ve completed that pesky war of independence.Get a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up for our Opinion newsletter.More:AISpectrumFor subscribersRichard GloverOpinionFrom our partners