Former Vice President Kamala Harris used an example involving yellow and pink flowers to explain how social media algorithms can repeatedly feed users similar content, arguing the technology shapes what people see online.
Harris made the comments during an appearance on “Off Air with Big Boy” after host Big Boy asked her about artificial intelligence, TikTok, Instagram and how personalized algorithms might influence how Americans consume information, including ahead of the midterm elections.
“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,” Harris said. “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.”
Harris, who previously played a leading role in the Biden administration’s work on artificial intelligence, offered a specific example to illustrate her point.
“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,” Harris said. “Part of it is understanding how the algorithm is manipulating us and figuring out how we’re going to psych it out a bit.”
The remarks drew a mocking response from Fox News hosts, including Sean Hannity, who reacted to the soundbite by asking, “What was that?” Hannity’s guest, Fox News host Jimmy Failla, joked that Harris thinks “AI is Allen Iverson from the Philadelphia 76ers.”
Harris, the Democratic Party’s 2024 presidential nominee, has not said whether she will seek the White House again in 2028. She has faced criticism in the past over her explanations of artificial intelligence, including remarks she made in 2023 while serving as vice president: “AI is kind of a fancy thing. First of all, it’s two letters. It means artificial intelligence, but ultimately what it is is it’s about machine learning.”
Harris’ latest comments come after she called on President Donald Trump earlier this month to pursue an international agreement — including with China — aimed at limiting dangerous uses of AI and establishing global testing standards.
