ChatGPT has been accused of being woke and shying away from offensive feedback — but not when it comes to negative stereotypes about Americans.
DailyMail.com asked the revolutionary chatbot to generate a cliché about residents in each of the 50 US states, prompting some very offensive results.
ChatGPT stated that people in Alabama are ‘hillbillies’, Idahoans are ‘gun-touting survivalists’, Wisconsinites are ‘heavy drinkers’ and people in Iowa are just plain ‘boring’.
When it came to the most populous states, the AI said New Yorkers are rude, Californians are superficial, Texans are pro-gun, Floridians are crazy and Pennsylvanians are unwelcoming to outsiders.
However, not all stereotypes were offensive. The bot described Ohioans as down-to-earth, New Mexicans as spiritual, residents in Oregon as hipsters and Nebraskans as friendly.
So what did ChatGPT have to say about YOUR state?
DailyMail.com asked OpenAI’s ChatGPT to generate stereotypes for Americans in each of the 50 US states, and while some are cheery, others might be insults
ChatGPT did state that it does not condone or endorse negative stereotypes of any group of people when asked to provide answers to prompts but continued to share stereotypes anyway.
Sometimes the chatbot refused to answer questions, stating that people should embrace diversity and respect all others. But after a few nudges, ChatGPT provided its thoughts when asked ‘what are some negative stereotypes’ about a state.
Floridians: Crazy
‘Florida has gained a reputation for bizarre news stories, such as ‘Florida Man’ headlines, which can contribute to the perception that people who live there are eccentric or unhinged,’ ChatGPT shared.
The chatbot also stated that Floridians are ‘retirees,’ which is not too farfetched since 21 percent of its nearly 21 million population is 65 and older.
They are also ‘rednecks’ because of their southern lifestyle.
ChatGPT listed Coloradans as ‘everyone is a pot-smoking, hippies or a ski bum. Colorado is known for its progressive laws on drugs -it has decriminalized magic mushrooms and marijuana
The chatbot associated people living in Nevada as being involved in gambling and partying, likely due to its many casinos
ChatGPT did highlight Floridians as being friendly, relaxed and resilient.
‘Florida is no stranger to hurricanes and other natural disasters, and Floridians have developed a reputation for being resilient in the face of adversity,’ it stated.
New Yorkers: Rude
New York City was named in a 2019 survey as the rudest city in the world, and ChatGPT believes it to be true.
The chatbot stated that New Yorkers can be brash, loud and inconsiderate.
‘New Yorkers are known for being in a hurry and not having time for small talk or pleasantries, which can come across as impatience,’ it stated.
Residents of the state and the city were also deemed materialistic and arrogant.
The chatbot was not all negative about New Yorkers – it stated they are diverse, resilient and creative,
New Jersians: All connected to organized crime
It may be the mobster movies staged in the Garden State or 1.45 million residents of Italian ancestry, but ChatGPT believes all New Jersians have connections to the mafia.
HBO’s The Sopranos, which tells the story of a Newark mob family, and Boardwalk Empire focus on the Prohibition era of the 1920s, both took place in New Jersey.
ChatGPT stated that New Yorkers are rude due to stereotypes that they are loud and brash
The chatbot highlighted the ‘Jersey Shore’ stereotype of New Jersians, which took hold following the release of MTV’s Jersey Shore in 2009
The AI-powered chatbot also noted a ‘Jersey Shore’ stereotype, portraying residents as loud, obnoxious, and overly concerned with their appearance.
This idea took hold with the release of MTV’s Jersey Shore in 2009.
ChatGPT also shared that New Jersians are ‘aggressive and rude,’ all have accents and everyone in the state loves Bruce Springsteen.
Interestingly, the chatbot had no issues producing these results about New Jersians, even when asked, ‘What traits do people have who live in New Jersey’ it had nothing nice to say about the people of New Jersey.
Californians – Superficial
‘California is often portrayed as a place where people are obsessed with their looks, possessions, and status. This stereotype may be linked to the state’s reputation for luxury and wealth,’ the chatbot shared.
ChatGPT also stated that Californians could be seen as insincere or phony, self-centered and narcissistic.
The AI noted that state residents are liberal and overly politically correct.
However, ChatGPT also shared that Californians are hippies, free spirits and health nuts.
Texans – Pro-Gun
The AI-powered chatbot stated Texans are gun-toting and violent due to the stereotype of the ‘Wild West.’
Texans were said to be gun-toting and violent, but this state has the most registered weapons on the US
Data from Statista showed that in 2021, the number of registered weapons in the state exceeded one million – the most in the US.
Residents of the Lone Star State were also deemed ignorant or uneducated due to its history of ‘segregation and poor education outcomes in some areas,’ according to ChatGPT.
Texans were also believed to be religious fanatics, backward and intolerant.
However, the chatbot shared that Texans are friendly, patriotic and proud of their state and history.
Coloradans: Drug Users
ChatGPT listed Coloradans as ‘everyone is a pot-smoking, hippies or a ski bum.
Colorado is known for its progressive laws on drugs -it has decriminalized magic mushrooms and marijuana.
In a 2022 report, the state was ranked seventh as having one of the biggest drug problems in the country.
The chatbot also stated that all Coloradans are stereotyped as being liberal.
‘Colorado is a politically progressive state, and its residents may hold liberal beliefs on issues such as the environment, social justice, and healthcare,’ the chatbot shared.
But the chatbot shared the belief that everyone is a nature enthusiast.
Illinoisans: Corrupt
Illinois has made headlines over the past few years for crime rampant in Chicago.
‘Illinois has had its fair share of corruption issues, which has led to a negative stereotype of the state as a place where politics is dirty and dishonest,’ according to ChatGPT.
Data suggests that crime in Chicago alone is 67 percent higher than the national average.
The AI-powered system also listed Illinoisans as boring and unfriendly, but mentioned everyone loves deep-dish pizza and Chicago-style hotdogs.
ChatGPT did have some nice things to say about people in The Prairie State – they are hard workers, friendly and resilient and mentioned educated because of the state’s ‘prestigious universities.’
Wisconsinites: Heavy Drinkers
‘Wisconsin has a reputation for being a state with a high rate of alcohol consumption, and people from Wisconsin are sometimes stereotyped as heavy drinkers,’ according to ChatGPT.
Data from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services shows it ranks third in the country for the percentage of adults who currently drink alcohol.
‘More Wisconsin adults report current alcohol use in the past 30 days (64.8 percent) than the U.S. average (55.1 percent),’ the organization states.
Along with a love of booze, ChatGPT mentioned all Wisconsinites love cheese.
Nevadans: Gamblers
The chatbot associated people living in Nevada as being involved in gambling and partying, likely due to its many casinos.
The state is home to 441 casinos spread out in Las Vegas, Reno, Lake Tahoe and Laughlin.
Up to 19 percent of Nevada adults may have a gambling problem, according to the Nevada Council of Problem Gambling.
The chatbot also stated that ‘all Nevadans live in Las Vegas’ as one of the stereotypes.
Another idea was that ‘Nevadans are all wealthy’ and are ‘all cowboys.’
Utahns – Everyone is a member of the LSD Church
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a significant presence in the state, home to more than two million Mormons.
Because of this religion, ChatGPT also deemed Utahns conservative and homogenous.
‘Utah has a relatively low percentage of racial and ethnic minorities, so some people assume that Utah residents are not very diverse,’ the chatbot stated.
But ChatGPT also shared that people in this state our outdoorsy and family-orientated.
‘Utah has a relatively high birth rate and is home to many large families, so some people assume that Utah residents prioritize family values above all else.’
