The
Stupid
Report

The tension between human and artificial intelligence is everywhere. Every day brings a new development, and we’re constantly trying to make sense of a dizzying conversation that asks us to see AI as either a tool or a threat to human thinking, creativity and even existence. From Pope Leo’s warning about AI to A24’s partnership with Google’s DeepMind, from surveillance repackaged as a chic accessory to AI products becoming extensions of our bodies, it’s a vast and tangled subject to navigate.

There are countless ways to explore this unprecedented and evolving relationship between humans and machines, and what it means for our intelligence. But we think a lot of these conversations have overlooked the other side of the coin: how the meaning – and value – of stupidity changes as AI advances and becomes more deeply embedded in everyday life.

Maybe stupidity isn’t something to fear. In an age saturated with information, perhaps there’s something valuable about not knowing. About not having an answer for everything, but asking better questions instead. About embracing ambiguity and nuance rather than defaulting to rigid, logical thinking. As the American actor and director John Waters put it, "Sometimes, stupid and cute are enough."