Former Vice President Kamala Harris used yellow and pink flowers to illustrate how social media algorithms can trap users in repetitive content loops, arguing that the technology shapes what Americans see online and could influence the midterm elections.
Harris made the remarks during an appearance on «Off Air with Big Boy» after host Big Boy asked about artificial intelligence, TikTok, Instagram, and the role personalized algorithms play in shaping how people consume information. She warned that users should recognize when they are being targeted.
«There is a part of this that is about understanding that, you know, if you keep seeing the same thing over and over again, know that you are being targeted,» Harris said. «Because you looked at it the first time, they're just going to keep sending it to you, which means they're trying to dumb people down with the assumption that people don't have any interest beyond what they've already seen.»
Harris, who previously played a leading role in the Biden administration's work on artificial intelligence, continued with a colorful example. «The algorithm's suggesting I have no more interest — because I'm looking at this yellow flower, I'm only interested in yellow flowers, as though my brain can't handle the fact that there may be a pink flower that I might be interested in looking at,» she said. «Part of it is understanding how the algorithm is manipulating us and figuring out how we're going to psych it out a bit.»
The explanation drew a mocking response from Fox News hosts, including Sean Hannity. «What was that?» Hannity said while reacting to the soundbite. Hannity's guest, Fox News host Jimmy Failla, joked that Harris thinks «AI is Allen Iverson from the Philadelphia 76ers.»
Harris, the Democratic Party's 2024 presidential nominee, has not said whether she will seek the White House again in 2028. She has faced criticism in the past over her explanations of artificial intelligence, including remarks she made while serving as vice president in 2023. «AI is kind of a fancy thing,» Harris said at the time. «First of all, it's two letters. It means artificial intelligence, but ultimately what it is is it's about machine learning.»
Her latest comments come after she called on President Donald Trump earlier this month to pursue an international agreement — including with China — aimed at limiting dangerous uses of AI and establishing global testing standards. The remarks also follow her recent warnings about the 2026 midterms, where she has kept the door open to a 2028 run while cautioning that «'28 won't matter» without «2026.»
Harris's flower analogy adds to a broader debate over AI regulation and social media's role in elections. As midterm campaigns heat up, her comments highlight concerns about how algorithms can amplify certain content and potentially distort public perception. While she did not announce new policy proposals, her remarks signal a continued focus on technology's impact on democracy.
Critics have seized on her past explanations of AI, and the latest episode is likely to fuel further discussion about how politicians communicate complex technological issues. Harris has not yet announced any plans for a 2028 presidential bid, but her recent campaign trail activity and warnings about the midterms suggest she remains a prominent voice in Democratic politics.