The Broken Clock Effect: Why We Trust AI Even When We Know We Shouldn't
There’s something darkly funny about aviation safety guidelines: When an aircraft instrument fails or gives wrong readings, regulations require not just a warning sticker next to it labeled “INOP” (as in “inoperative”), but demand the instrument be physically deactivated or removed entirely. Why? Because pilots, highly trained professionals who spend countless hours learning about instrument reliability and cross-verification, keep looking at them anyway. I’ve experienced this myself flying a small aircraft recreationally. Despite the warning stickers next to the broken instrument, despite knowing better, your eyes are magically drawn to these dead instruments — as if staring at false readings long enough might somehow make them true. ...