Clanker
what it means
Used to deride anything artificial that's pretending to be helpful. It's a joke slur aimed at machines — and increasingly at AI-generated content.
A mocking term for AI systems, robots and chatbots.
the origin story
Coined in Star Wars media as a derogatory term for battle droids; adopted widely as internet slang for real AI from mid-2025.
Its surge tracked rising frustration with AI customer service, AI-generated content and chatbots inserted into every product. Dictionary.com listed it among its 2025 word-of-the-year shortlist. Some commentators noted discomfort with the slur framing, even aimed at machines.
in the wild
I've been talking to a chatbot for twenty minutes.
Ask for a human. Clankers can't refund you.
Every image on this site has seven fingers.
Pure clanker output.
how to use it
- Joking about AI systems and chatbots
- Discussing AI backlash
- Casual conversation about technology
- Professionally, in AI or tech writing
- As a proxy for insults aimed at people
- Where the slur framing would be uncomfortable
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