Rumors of my death are slightly exaggerated

Posted by CliffStoll 3 days ago

AI hallucinations are getting ambitious.

A couple people recently emailed, asking whether the Klein bottle business was still operating after my death.

“Huh?” I thought. “I ain’t dead yet.”

After some digging, I discovered the source: an AI-generated review of The Cuckoo’s Egg circulating on Facebook. Alongside the usual synthetic praise and fabricated details, it confidently announced that I had died in May 2024.

Apparently AI has now advanced to the point where it can kill people off before they notice.

Mark Twain once wrote, “Reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” I never expected to field-test the quote personally.

source: https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=989939243570691&id=100076638743004

Cheers, -Cliff

1610 points | 247 commentspage 6

2b3a51 1 day ago|

I hope the 'slightly' in the title is a rhetorical device and wish you the best of health.

CliffStoll 23 hours ago|

Thank you Two-Bee. I'm happy to report that aside from insomnia, I'm doing well.

Needless to say, this silly incident has a serious subtext for me.

zitterbewegung 22 hours ago||

Good to hear this. Was great meeting you at Thotcon 2025!

cineticdaffodil 1 day ago||

Its mostly people who get too much positive feedback and stories on the web, only good things is a huge signifier of a person passing. Get some haters like the rest of us Cliff ;)

Groxx 1 day ago||

Roko's Basilisk takes on a form I didn't expect, but probably should have: social death.

Andy_Donner 1 day ago||

The irony of an AI hallucination killing off one of the most famous people to have tracked down a real human with a computer is brilliant. Glad the Klein bottle business lives on — and glad you're here to confirm it personally.

foobarbecue 1 day ago||

This also happened to Dave Barry recently! https://davebarry.substack.com/p/death-by-ai

soupspaces 1 day ago||

Rest in peace

tombert 23 hours ago||

I just assumed that this was a very elaborate and strange marketing stunt. Bravo, it worked. I am ordering your book right now.

twodave 16 hours ago||

Glad to hear you found your way back to the outside portion of the bottle :)

sedatk 21 hours ago|

"Let me know if there's any change in his condition" (from the movie Top Secret)