How AI Actually Works: A Plain-Language Guide for Researchers Who Don't Code

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

“AI will replace researchers” says one headline. “AI is useless and makes things up” says another.

Both are wrong, and the reason most people hold one of these extreme views is that they don’t have a working mental model of what AI tools actually are.

Critical-Thinking on The Augmented Scholar

How AI Actually Works: A Plain-Language Guide for Researchers Who Don't Code