Former AI Czar Kamala Harris Endeavors to Explain ‘Algorithm’ Using ‘Flowers’

Former Vice President Kamala Harris tried to explain to radio host Big Boy how social media algorithms work using flowers as an example.

Harris appeared on Thursday’s episode of Off Air with Big Boy. About 23 minutes into their conversation, Big Boy brought up his concerns about AI and its role in crafting what social media users are shown.

“So when you look at AI and social media, TikTok, and Instagram, and things,” Big Boy said, “what do you feel about the way the messages are being brought to us now with, ‘Oh, this is your algorithm so you’ll see this. This is your algorithm so you’ll see this.'”

“So we almost get this divided states of America. When you look at what social media is and AI, where does that play a part in what we’re about to see midterms or even in our future, the way we consume now?” he asked.

Harris, who was unofficially known as the AI czar during her term with former President Joe Biden, said that supporting independent journalism was especially important when certain content is targeted at specific audiences. She continued:

There is a part of this that is about understanding that, you know, if you keep seeing the same thing over and over again, know that you are being targeted.

Because you looked at it the first time, they’re just going to keep sending it to you, which means they’re trying to dumb people down with the assumption that people don’t have any interest beyond what they’ve already seen.

Think about that… But the algorithm’s suggesting I have no more interest– because I’m looking at this yellow flower, I’m only interested in yellow flowers, as though my brain can’t handle the fact that there may be a pink flower that I might be interested in looking at.

And so, part of it is understanding how the algorithm is manipulating us and figuring out how we’re going to psych it out a bit.

Harris has yet to publicly declare whether she’s running for the White House in 2028.

Jason Cohen contributed to this report.

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