Was the "it JUST predicts the next word" narrative pushed on purpose?

The narrative that AI "just predicts the next word" is questioned, with some suggesting it might be intentionally pushed. This perspective arises because deep neural networks exhibit emergent properties, internal representations, and complex abstractions that are not fully understood. The concern is that the public might experience an ontological crisis if they knew the true extent of AI's capabilities and the uncertainty surrounding its potential for consciousness.

This discussion moves beyond technical capabilities to question the intent behind the "just predicts the next word" narrative, unlike most analyses focusing on AI's emergent properties.