New slang 'meat proxy' calls out workers who just copy-paste AI chatbot answers
Developer Niklas Gruhn coined the term 'meat proxy' to describe coworkers who forward unedited chatbot responses instead of engaging with the content themselves. He wrote that receiving these raw AI outputs adds no value, since colleagues could simply query the AI directly. The phrase follows other recent slang like 'clanker' that reflects growing frustration with AI's creeping presence in daily work and communication.
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The trend points to a broader pattern researchers call 'cognitive offloading,' where people increasingly outsource thinking to AI tools rather than processing information themselves. If unchecked in workplaces, this habit risks eroding critical thinking and turning human communication into a hollow relay for machine output, undermining the very collaboration AI was meant to enhance.
- 'Meat proxy' describes people who forward AI chatbot text unedited instead of engaging with it.
- The term was coined by developer Niklas Gruhn, who urged people to validate and rewrite AI output in their own words.
- It joins other new slang like 'clanker,' reflecting rising public frustration with AI's growing role in daily work life.
Cal Newport "Deep Work" (book) — If the article's warnings about "cognitive offloading" hit home, Cal Newport's Deep Work is the antidote on paper: a practical case for reclaiming focused, original thinking instead of outsourcing it to a chatbot. It's a great desk companion for anyone who'd rather be a thinker than a meat proxy.
See Cal Newport "Deep Work" (book) on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: futurism.com — Victor Tangermann, 2026-08-26
Published there as: “Your Coworkers Are Becoming “Meat Proxies” for AI”
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