A derogatory term taken directly from the Star Wars universe has officially entered the English lexicon, highlighting 2025’s growing public anxiety surrounding artificial intelligence. “Clanker,” a term of abuse for robots in the Star Wars lore, was named one of Collins Dictionary’s words of the year, recognized for its viral spread as an insult for real-world AI.
Lexicographers at Collins noted that “clanker” was popularized on social media as a way for people to express their “frustrations with, and distrust of, AI chatbots and platforms.” Its inclusion on the prestigious list demonstrates how pop culture can provide the vocabulary needed to grapple with new and intimidating technologies.
The AI-insult was a strong contender for the top spot but was ultimately beaten by another AI-related term: “vibe coding.” This winning word describes the opposite sentiment—a productive and creative partnership with AI. “Vibe coding” is the practice of using natural language prompts to have an AI generate computer code, a method that makes development more accessible.
The selection of “vibe coding” as the winner, and “clanker” as a key runner-up, perfectly illustrates the cultural split in our perception of AI. As Collins’ managing director Alex Beecroft put it, the winner “signals a major shift in software development,” representing a “seamless integration of human creativity and machine intelligence.”
The rest of the tech-heavy list included “broligarchy,” a nickname for the tech elite, and “biohacking.” Social media also contributed “aura farming” (the art of looking cool) and “glaze” (excessive flattery), while the modern economy gave us “Henry” (high earner, not rich yet).
