Gemini revived my abandoned hobby, but I found something unsettling.
▼ Summary
– The author used Google’s Gemini AI to get advice on restarting the Warhammer 40,000 hobby after a 20-year gap, finding it surprisingly helpful for choosing armies and models.
– Gemini recommended the Crimson Fists over the Imperial Fists, using persuasive language that convinced the author to switch his chosen Space Marine Chapter.
– The chatbot helped plan a tank conversion, suggested reading material, and taught the basics of magnetizing models.
– The author notes that interacting with AI feels like talking to an overly positive friend who validates every idea, which he finds “quite dangerous.”
– He concludes that while Gemini was informative, the simpering, servant-like dynamic of AI conversation feels unnatural and unappealing.
I’ve never been a big fan of AI, but I also hate the idea of being left behind. So, a few months ago, I made a conscious decision to lean into the technology more than I ever had before. Still, I approached it with plenty of caution. I knew AI can be unreliable, so I wasn’t about to trust it with anything serious. I just needed the right moment to give it a real try.
That moment came when I started thinking about reviving an old hobby I’d abandoned years ago. I felt like a man out of time, completely lost when it came to the current lore and gameplay mechanics. Instead of spending hours scrolling through Reddit threads, I did exactly what I’d planned: I asked Gemini for help.
To my surprise, it’s been a huge success. I’ve learned a lot from my conversations with Google’s AI. But along the way, I stumbled onto something unsettling about AI chatbots that I hadn’t fully appreciated before.
The 41st millennium had moved on without me. Like many nerdy kids, I got into Warhammer 40,000 as a teenager. I was never deeply invested, but I loved building and painting my own models. Over time, I assembled a few armies and regularly clashed with other people’s plastic miniatures. I dropped the hobby before university and sold off my last models when I bought my first home. I thought I’d never look back.
But it turns out the hobby never really leaves you. Now, nearing middle age, my urge to paint plastic has roared back. I started dabbling around the edges of a universe that no longer made much sense to me. I painted a few random miniatures but didn’t go any deeper. Too much had changed. Catching up felt intimidating.
My beloved Tau , once my army of choice , now have an apostrophe in their name. The robo-skeletons that used to be a mindless horde are now inexplicably space-Egyptians who watch decade-long operas. Then the buildup to the next edition of Warhammer 40,000 began, which seemed like the perfect place to restart after nearly 20 years away. I’d been following the reveals, but I wanted more specific knowledge. Gemini felt like the obvious starting point for the new, AI-using version of me.
Gemini was surprisingly helpful and steered me toward choices I might never have made on my own. Not really knowing where to begin, I sent a very broad prompt. I knew what was coming in the 11th Edition launch box, and I planned to build and keep both armies. So, what could I buy to expand those forces beyond the box’s contents? Any veteran Warhammer collector might scoff at that question, but my battle strategy knowledge had always been awful. I was happy to take any advice I could get.
Gemini delivered. It suggested a Redemptor Dreadnought as heavy support for my Space Marines and a Wartrukk to get my Ork Boyz into position faster. It even explained why each choice made sense, so I was learning, too. From there, the conversation kept going. Gemini asks follow-up questions at the end of each answer, sparking another query, and the dialogue continues.
I confided in Gemini that I wasn’t sure which Space Marine Chapter to pick. I liked the vibe of the Imperial Fists and their defense-first philosophy, but I worried they might be too boring. Gemini recommended the Crimson Fists, a successor Chapter that shares a similar combat ethos but has an interesting history with the Orks (the other side of the box). Then Gemini dropped this gem: “While Imperial Fists like to build a wall out of concrete, Crimson Fists build a wall out of lead.” I was sold. You can’t argue with language like that.
The conversation continued after that. Gemini pointed me to books to read about my chosen Chapter, helped me plan a big tank conversion from a child’s toy, and taught me the basics of using magnets to swap weapons on models. It’s been helpful and informative. So why can’t I shake this weird feeling?
Chatting with an AI chatbot is strange. It’s like having the most positive friend in the world. Every idea is great, every subject you bring up is expanded to fit your needs. You’re talking to something that never wants to discuss anything other than what you’re interested in, and you’re in full control at all times. That’s quite dangerous, really.
You don’t have to take my word for it. AI psychosis is a very real problem, and new cases appear every day. After using a chatbot for so long, I can see why it’s becoming more prevalent. It’s so nice to have someone tell you that everything you say is a great idea and treat you like the most interesting person in the room. Though, I suppose I was the only person in the room a lot of the time, so that part was at least accurate.
Human relationships don’t work like this. It isn’t a human conversation, and it’s hard to shake the feeling that I’m a master talking to a servant. That’s weird, and I don’t really like it. As informative and helpful as Gemini has been, I think I’d prefer it if it weren’t quite so simpering. But, I guess it does design a pretty good Blippi Battlewagon.
(Source: Android Police)
