Robophobia

(this is my first article so please improve on it  :3)

'Robophobia' is the phenomenon of semi-satire discrimination against AI and robots both online in social media such as TikTok and Instagram as well as in person against robot waiters, Waymos, and other robotic things.

Robophobia was trending around July of 2025. it consisted of videos of people either complaining about the prevalence of AI in their daily lives, or making skits, usually set in the future, where they would discriminate against robots or AI.

these skits usually included quickly developed 'slurs' for AI such as:

• "Oil-Bucket"
• "Rust-Bucket"
• "Wireback"
• "Silver-skin"
• "Tin-skin"
• "Chrome Dome"
• "Number Cruncher"
• "Clanker" (Clanker was not created during this trend, but was used in it)

along with other such insults for defenders of AI, predominantly, "Cog-Sucker."

The trend of robophobia usually played on 'Dark humor' jokes about African Americans and the discrimination against them seen in the modern day and in history. examples of this comparison include:

• "Rosa Parts" (a play on words of the name 'Rosa Parks' and 'parts')
• "George Droid" (a play on words of the name 'George Floyd' and 'Droid')

and other crude comparisons.

The phrase 'Robophobia' first showed up on the internet around 2017, but in hindsight, many have called a scene in The Wizard of Oz which says:

OZ'S VOICE

You dare to come to me for a heart, do you?

You clinking, clanking, clattering

collection of caliginous....

OZ'S VOICE

...junk!

TIN MAN

Ohhhh -- yes...yes, sir -- Y-Yes, your

Honor.  You see, a while back, we were

walking down the Yellow Brick Road, and --

The trend of robophobia was both a way for young internet users to grapple with their fear of AI advancements as well as a way for them to challenge taboo and make Racist remarks while under the guise of a joke.

References

https://www.trillmag.com/news/tech/robot-slurs-a-comprehensive-guide/

This article "Robophobia" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Robophobia. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.

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