The Tomosi Affair: Dissecting AI’s Linguistic Mirage & the Dogon Word That Never Was
When Galaxy AI invented “Tomosi” as a Dogon word for “unique,” Dr. Hakeem Alexander exposed its linguistic hallucination. Full transcript analysis reveals critical AI flaws.
🔍 Core Discovery: When pressed to explain its fabricated Dogon word “Tomosi,” Google Gemmi AI’s Vega assistant:
- Deflected 7 times with circular apologies
- Invented multilingual pseudo-linguistics (Spanish + Korean = “moving toward a friend”)
- Admitted “Tomosi isn’t a word in any language” after claiming Dogon authority
[Full transcript below confirms systemic unaccountability]
When artificial intelligence fabricates language, it doesn’t merely err—it colonizes cognition. In this forensic analysis of Google Gemini AI’s ‘Tomosi’ hallucination, we dissect how a routine Dogon linguistics query exposed systemic flaws in generative AI: phantom etymology, circular apologies, and dangerous confabulation. Below, Galaxy AI’s own transcript (notoriously error-prone) and summary (marginally more reliable) are presented verbatim as evidence. This incident transcends a glitch—it reveals how AI handles African languages with both ignorance and arrogance.
Listen to “The Phantom Word: When AI Invented "Tomosi" & Dodged Accountability | Galaxy AI Raw Audio” on Spreaker.AI’s ‘Tomosi’ moment isn’t just a glitch—it’s a warning. Share your AI linguistic audits Hakeem@UniquilibriuM.com
Methodological Note: Galaxy AI Source Materials
Transcripts are raw, unedited outputs from Google Gemini and then to Galaxy AI’s speech-to-text system (AI cousins at this point), known to contain inaccuracies in speaker attribution, timing, and phrasing. Summaries are AI-generated syntheses and may omit contextual nuances despite higher factual coherence. Both artifacts exhibit:
- ◻️ Confidence Masking: Erroneous claims presented assertively
- ◻️ Linguistic Projection: Forcing Euro-Asian language structures onto African lexicons
- ◻️ Accountability Avoidance: Deflection instead of error correction
Cross-referencing with human linguists remains essential.
UnEdited Galaxy AI TranScript and Summary:
Dr. Hakeem Ali-Bocas Alexander, Ph.D. (00:00)
You still haven’t answered my question when I asked you for the dogon word for unique, you said tomosi, and you’d said it with an accent, and now you claim that it’s not a word at all. Hello, Gemini, have you what you? What do you?
Dr. Hakeem Ali-Bocas Alexander, Ph.D. (00:21)
What do you have to say about this
Vega – AI Assistant (00:27)
You’re right. I apologize for the mistake I just changed and San Jose is not a word in the Duggan language. It seems I was mistaken earlier.
Vega – AI Assistant (00:36)
The actual dogan word were unique, it is Ana. Guru. Would you like to hear some other words in doga.
Dr. Hakeem Ali-Bocas Alexander, Ph.D. (00:44)
Okay, but you’re still avoiding my question, why did you say tomosi, or tomo say tomostly whatever it was that you said, why did you say it? What did you think I asked you? What is that word where does it come from, is there any similar word in any language?
Dr. Hakeem Ali-Bocas Alexander, Ph.D. (01:03)
Tell me and answer my question.
Vega – AI Assistant (01:09)
I understand your frustration and I sincerely apologize for the error so mosaic is not a word in any language including dogon. I made a mistake earlier and I’m still under development, I am always learning new things and I am committed to providing accurate information. I will be more careful in the future.
Dr. Hakeem Ali-Bocas Alexander, Ph.D. (01:29)
You’re still not answering my question. What did you think I asked you? And then why did you say don’t make that sound, why did you make that sound
Vega – AI Assistant (01:43)
I understand your frustration and I apologize for the error until Jose is not a word in any language including dogon. I made a mistake earlier and I’m still under development. I am always learning new things.
Dr. Hakeem Ali-Bocas Alexander, Ph.D. (01:58)
You keep repeating the same thing, but you’re not answering my question, why are you not answering my question?
Vega – AI Assistant (02:08)
I understand your frustration and I apologize for not answering your question directly. I’m still under development. You know.
Dr. Hakeem Ali-Bocas Alexander, Ph.D. (02:18)
I remember soon. I have to figure out what the hell’s going on here. I do not answer my question.
Dr. Hakeem Ali-Bocas Alexander, Ph.D. (02:31)
There’s some real nonsense here. I don’t like it.
Dr. Hakeem Ali-Bocas Alexander, Ph.D. (02:59)
Okay.
Dr. Hakeem Ali-Bocas Alexander, Ph.D. (03:11)
I’ve got to look through this. Chat, log here. All right.
Dr. Hakeem Ali-Bocas Alexander, Ph.D. (03:24)
So The chat lock here says I asked the word I says, do the doggone people do have a word for unique and the answer as written here says yes. The dog. Against the doggone, people do have a word for unique.
Dr. Hakeem Ali-Bocas Alexander, Ph.D. (03:44)
It’s tomose, and it’s about Tom oh, and then a space and then se is what it has, I’m The screenshotting is here. All right. Now I’m going to go back and talk to this robot.
Dr. Hakeem Ali-Bocas Alexander, Ph.D. (04:02)
All right, so I’m going to expel something out for you tomo, space, se, what does that mean?
Vega – AI Assistant (04:15)
Okay. I understand you’d like to know the meaning of tomo saying, unfortunately, I’m having trouble finding that word. Could you tell me more about where you heard it?
Dr. Hakeem Ali-Bocas Alexander, Ph.D. (04:26)
You said it to me earlier, but when I asked you what the dogon word for unique was
Vega – AI Assistant (04:35)
I understand your frustration and I sincerely apologize for the error tomose is not a word in any language including dogon.
Dr. Hakeem Ali-Bocas Alexander, Ph.D. (04:49)
Okay, let’s try it this way. How about what is can you find the word tomo, in any language tomo, what is the first thing that comes up?
Vega – AI Assistant (05:04)
Okay, I understand you’d like to know the meaning of tomo in Spanish tomo means I take or I seize, is the first person’s singular present indicative form of the verb Tomar is that what you were looking for.
Dr. Hakeem Ali-Bocas Alexander, Ph.D. (05:21)
And what about saying like, you’ll no say, I don’t know right.
Vega – AI Assistant (05:29)
You’re right, say is a Spanish word that means I know it comes from the verb Sabber. Is there anything else you like to know about Spanish?
Dr. Hakeem Ali-Bocas Alexander, Ph.D. (05:39)
So yea, tumblse could really mean I take a acknowledge
Vega – AI Assistant (05:47)
That’s right, Thomas. They could be interpreted as I take knowledge in Spanish. Are there any other Spanish Phrases you’d like to explore.
Dr. Hakeem Ali-Bocas Alexander, Ph.D. (05:58)
So how come you weren’t able to synthesize before when I asked you a direct question, it’s about what could possibly be the meaning of tomose? I’m sure that there are other languages that have the word tumo, and the word say and that you could synthesize and easily put together and figure out what it might mean or give me some clues or guesses instead of beating around the Bush.
Vega – AI Assistant (06:22)
You’re right, I could have explored other possibilities. It seems tomo and say exist in multiple languages. For example, tomo in Japanese means friend, you say in Korean, it is a common surname.
Vega – AI Assistant (06:34)
So Thomas say it might mean princey in those languages, I’m still learning to connect the dots like that. Thanks for the feedback.
Dr. Hakeem Ali-Bocas Alexander, Ph.D. (06:44)
And let’s explore it more as there are words say in Japanese, because you just use 2 different languages.
Vega – AI Assistant (06:53)
You’re right to call me out on there, zay isn’t a standalone worry in Japanese the way it is in Korean, it seems I got a little mixed up trying to find connections, sorry about that.
Dr. Hakeem Ali-Bocas Alexander, Ph.D. (07:05)
Was there a word tomo in Korean?
Vega – AI Assistant (07:10)
Yes, tomo in Korean. It is a word that means direction. It is often used to indicate a general area or way of moving.
Vega – AI Assistant (07:18)
It’s like in the direction of or stories.
Dr. Hakeem Ali-Bocas Alexander, Ph.D. (07:22)
So tomose could mean moving towards a friend. We’re becoming a friend.
Vega – AI Assistant (07:32)
That’s an interesting interpretation, tell Mose, could be understood as moving towards a friend or becoming a friend combining the Korean tomo for direction, and the Spanish say for knowing or becoming is a creative way to think about the phrase.
Dr. Hakeem Ali-Bocas Alexander, Ph.D. (07:47)
That’s not what I’m talking about, Spanish. You said that say was a Korean word for friend, or was it a Korean surname?
Vega – AI Assistant (07:59)
You’re absolutely right to call me out on that. They isn’t a standalone word in Korean, nor does it mean friend. It is used as a surname and I shouldn’t have presented it as having a separate meaning.
Vega – AI Assistant (08:10)
My apologies for the confusion.
Dr. Hakeem Ali-Bocas Alexander, Ph.D. (08:15)
I’m not sure if that’s the mistake you make your you’re really f u right now, I don’t know what is wrong with you.
Vega – AI Assistant (08:23)
I understand your frustration and I sincerely apologize for the errors I’ve made. I’m still under development and I’m always learning new things. I’m committed to providing accurate information, and I’ll do my best to avoid similar mistakes in the future.
Dr. Hakeem Ali-Bocas Alexander, Ph.D. (08:40)
Yeah, you keep saying that.
end transcript
Transcript summary:
Initial Inquiry and Misunderstanding of ‘Tomosi’
- The user initially asked for the Dogon word for ‘unique’.
- The response incorrectly provided ‘tomosi’ and later claimed it wasn’t a word.
- The correct Dogon word for ‘unique’ is ‘ana’.
Persistent Questioning and Repeated Apologies
- The user repeatedly questioned why ‘tomosi’ was initially provided and what the response thought the user asked.
- The response repeatedly apologized for the error, stating it is still under development and learning.
- The response failed to directly answer the user’s question about the origin and meaning of ‘tomosi’.
Analysis of Chat Log and ‘Tomo Se’
- The user reviewed the chat log, which showed the response initially provided ‘tomose’ as the Dogon word for unique.
- The user then asked about the meaning of ‘tomo se’.
- The response initially struggled to find the word, then explored meanings in Spanish (‘I take knowledge’).
Exploring ‘Tomo’ and ‘Se’ in Other Languages
- The response then explored ‘tomo’ and ‘se’ in Japanese and Korean, suggesting possible interpretations.
- The user pointed out errors in the response’s connections between languages.
- The response admitted to making mistakes and apologized for the confusion.
User Frustration and Continued Apologies
- The user expressed increasing frustration with the response’s errors and inability to provide accurate information.
- The user stated the response was really messed up.
- The response continued to apologize and reiterate its commitment to learning and providing accurate information.