A TikTok comedian has sparked debate after riffing on the viral term “clanker,” which in recent months has surfaced as an insult for robots, AI systems, and those who rely on them.

The term, originally from Star Wars, spiked in searches in early June, according to Google Trends. As it spreads online, people are questioning whether it’s just a harmless joke or an insensitive slur.

Comedian and TikTok star Stanzi Potenza fueled the discussion in late August with a skit roleplaying a Southern waitress. The caption of the now-viral video reads: “POV: you’re a clanker in 2050.”

“Well, well, well, look what the Roomba dragged in,” Potenza says in a southern drawl. “Didn’t you see the sign outside? We don’t serve clankers here.”

She goes on to call the robots “wirebacks” (a term many say is u

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