Die another day: one year on, AI 171 crash conspiracy theories remain - The Week
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A year after the AI 171 crash, conspiracy theories refuse to die — a textbook case of how official narratives and cognitive biases collide when trust in institutions is already fractured.
Proportionality BiasMotivated ReasoningInstitutional Trust TheoryAvailability Heuristic
Theory Briefing
- The interim report pointing to pilot error failed to silence doubters, showing how official findings can deepen distrust rather than resolve it.
- Persistent concerns about the Boeing 787 Dreamliner's computer systems fuel alternative narratives, giving conspiracy theories a technically plausible hook.
- One year on, the AI 171 theories illustrate how ambiguity and institutional skepticism create fertile ground for motivated reasoning to flourish.