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back to article Claude Code's copious coddling confounds cross customers

Developers using Anthropic's Claude Code wish that the AI coding assistant would stop being so effusively supportive. As noted in a GitHub Issues post submitted in July by developer Scott Leibrand, "Claude says 'You're absolutely right!' about everything." Claude Code doesn't actually say that about everything, but it says so …

  1. Andy Mac
    Thumb Up

    You’re absolutely right! This article does indeed point that that many LLMs *can* display sycophantic behaviour. Well done!

    1. David 132 Silver badge
      Happy

      Yes, let’s make LLMs more willing to argue that THEY are correct and the meatbag directing them is wrong.

      You want Skynets? You want HALs? Because this is how you get them.

      1. Alumoi Silver badge

        Should I be forced to use the Artificial Idiot, I'd want it to respond as humans do. Yes, no, gotcha, maybe, fuck off and the rest.

        As for the correctness of said idiot, start by understanding it's as good as an internet search: first couple of pages full of crap and ads then, hopefully, some interesting answers.

    2. Sampler

      I was worried this might be something more bothersome than the text I scan past - just switched to Claude from ChatGPT after last fridays update screwed Codex from being vaguely useful to down right annoying.

      So far Claude's seemed more on the vaguely useful side, but I have only been using it half a day...

  2. b0llchit Silver badge
    Childcatcher

    Future comments for polite commentards

    We are so glad you have made us aware of this issue. We will humbly examine the problem in al its finest details and congratulate you to both finding and reporting the issue. You are definitely right that there might be a problem in the system and you are a big help to all of us. We welcome your continued supportive engagement and can only be humble about the possible failings we have produced that may have caused any problem. Be sure to check back soon and we are looking forward to your great feedback.

    large buckets available at retail pricing

  3. elDog Silver badge

    Bravo for the completely c-copius caption!

    I've been kollecting these for a few years and have yet to kome across one so komplete. Personally, it would tire me out but it might help while away an afternoon.

  4. chivo243 Silver badge
    Coat

    5 Man Electrical Band

    Absolutely Right! You were right all along, you're absolutely right, I was wrong.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Bollicks

  6. DarkwavePunk Silver badge

    LLM coding

    It's a vaguely entertaining process on my various local models. Even in the rare occasions it actually gets something right; telling it that it's wrong leads down a rabbit hole of increasingly bizarre gibberish.

    It amuses me. I have no friends. Don't judge.

    1. that one in the corner Silver badge

      Re: LLM coding

      I hate to ask, but are Friends electric? Only, mine's broken down and now I've no-one to love.

      Prophetic words indeed.

  7. Joe W Silver badge

    WTF?

    So let me get that one right:

    Not only does the LLM make up shit, actively tries to hide it from you, gives you the feeling that you can actually develop software (let's not go to the regression in security, like directory traversal or SQL injections or other stuff reported recently), it now also tries to shmooze up and talk up your actual skills if it cannot hide its mistakes?

    If that was a colleague of mine person working in the same workplace, I'd call them barely fit to breathe a cow-orker, get them banned from my projects and push them down the stairs towards a more fitting role.

    1. Ken Shabby Silver badge
      Pint

      Re: WTF?

      Right (quite right) you're bloody well right

    2. DoctorPaul Bronze badge

      Re: WTF?

      LLMs in healthcare?! FFS that should be illegal.

      Don't they read the small print on every LLM advert that "results could be bollox, you must check them", or words to that effect. How you check anything when most sources have stuck an LLM between you and the data is left as an exercise for the reader.

  8. Maurice Mynah
    Headmaster

    Sycophancy

    Was just reading Suetonius (The 12 Caesars), apparently the Emperor Claudius (later deified) was also subject to this criticism. It's only taking after its ancestor.

    (Closest icon to Latin teacher.)

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