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When the Mirror Speaks: The Barnum Effect in AI Systems

Why AI systems that flatter us are more dangerous than ones that challenge us โ€” and how to read LLM output more clearly.

BP
Dr. B.V.R.C. Purushottam
IAS ยท UC Berkeley
March 17, 2026ยท 8 min read

Why AI systems that flatter us are more dangerous than ones that challenge us โ€” and how to read LLM output more clearly.

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Dr. B.V.R.C. Purushottam
IAS Officer ยท AI Researcher ยท Policy Architect

16 years in India's administrative machinery. Now pioneering AI in governance, cooperative finance, and public policy โ€” grounded in both data and dharma. Writing from Dehradun, in the foothills of the Himalayas.

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