Leaving the United States is still a few years away, but preparing for a life in Japan has already changed how I spend my days. Between Japanese lessons, saving money, and thinking about the career and relationships I hope to build, I’m discovering how much this decision asks of me. I’m excited, scared of doing it alone, and finding confidence in the small milestones along the way. This is where I am now, learning what it takes to follow through on something I want.

I’ve decided to leave the United States, though I’m still discovering what comes next. As I explore a possible life in Japan, I’m thinking about belonging, privilege, and what it means to choose a future that feels like mine.

A robot dressed as a Buddhist monk may seem like a harmless curiosity, but it reveals something deeper about the way AI is being introduced into public life. The issue is not AI itself. It is the performance around AI: the borrowed trust, the forced inevitability, and the soft language of care wrapped around systems that often lack accountability. This essay explores the illusion of care in AI, from smiley interfaces and commencement speeches to data centers, automation, and the quiet stripping of human knowledge for parts.

A recent McKinsey discussion on agentic AI explores how more adaptive systems could transform customer experience. It highlights an important operational shift as organizations redesign service around intelligent agents. Yet much of what is described reflects empathy expressed through interaction design rather than a deeper understanding of human experience. As AI moves from tools to participants in human interaction, the meaning of empathy may need to evolve as well.