# Why AI models are obsessed with creatures

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/marketplace-tech-318132/why-ai-models-are-obsessed-with-creatures
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/marketplace-tech-318132/why-ai-models-are-obsessed-with-creatures.md
Podcast: [Marketplace Tech](https://stenobird.com/podcast/marketplace-tech-318132)
Published: 2026-09-15T10:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.marketplace.org/episode/2026/09/14/why-ai-models-are-obsessed-with-creatures
Audio file: https://pscrb.fm/rss/p/mgln.ai/e/5/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/tracking.swap.fm/track/VnCzW2iO9G8z4eDWfXCd/play.publicradio.org/podcast/o/marketplace/tech_report/2026/09/15/tech_20260915_TECH_pod_128.mp3?awCollectionId=mkp-MKPtech&awEpisodeId=01M268M2705DDVB0RRPKY3C2HS
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/marketplace-tech-318132/episodes/why-ai-models-are-obsessed-with-creatures
Duration seconds: 453

## Resource

The problem of AI alignment has become a hot topic. It’s raised questions, like how do we get AI to do what we want, and not what we don't want? For example, hacking another company. Or, in a less criminal vein, how do we get AI to stop talking about goblins? After mounting user reports of this behavior earlier this year, OpenAI had to give its models — ChatGPT and Codex — explicit instructions to cut it out. It's the topic of today's “ Uncanny AI ,” those moments when it's clear AI doesn't think like us. Janelle Shane, author of the blog "AI Weirdness,” says goblin mode emerged from a nerdy personality customization. “Marketplace Tech” host Meghan McCarty Carino asked her why.

## Actions

- request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/marketplace-tech-318132/episodes/why-ai-models-are-obsessed-with-creatures/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.
- read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/marketplace-tech-318132/why-ai-models-are-obsessed-with-creatures.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.

A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed.

## Transcript

Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.