Pitfalls of Anthropomorphism: Misunderstanding AI’s Potential

Raphaël Raux's 2025 Harvard Horizon project, "Human Learning about AI," conducted in collaboration with fellow PhD student Bnaya Dreyfuss, explores how people often assume AI thinks like a human, which can lead to confusion about what these systems can and can’t do. As a PhD candidate in economics at Harvard, Raux studies the complex relationship between how humans think and how artificial intelligence works. His research challenges common assumptions about AI and encourages a clearer, more realistic understanding of the technology. In his April 2025 talk at the annual Harvard Horizons Symposium, Raux shared insights from his work, which he hopes will support smarter decisions about how we use AI and help guide its development in ways that benefit both the economy and society.