I'll be honest, I like the way Claude defaults to relentless positivity and affirmation. It is pleasant to talk to.
That said I also don't think the sycophancy in LLM's is a positive trend. I don't push back against it because it's not pleasant, I push back against it because I think the 24/7 "You're absolutely right!" machine is deeply unhealthy.
Some people are especially susceptible and get one shot by it, some people seem to get by just fine, but I doubt it's actually good for anyone.
I hate NOTHING quite the way how Claude jovially and endlessly raves about the 9/10 tasks it "succeeded" at after making them up, while conveniently forgetting to mention it completely and utterly failed at the main task I asked it to do.
That reminds me of the West Wing scene s2e12 "The Drop In" between Leo McGarry (White House Chief of Staff) and President Bartlet discussing a missile defense test:
LEO
[hands him some papers] I really think you should know...
BARTLET
Yes?
LEO
That nine out of ten criterion that the DOD lays down for success in these
tests were met.
BARTLET
The tenth being?
LEO
They missed the target.
BARTLET
[with sarcasm] Damn!
LEO
Sir!
BARTLET
So close.
LEO
Mr. President.
BARTLET
That tenth one! See, if there were just nine...
That said I also don't think the sycophancy in LLM's is a positive trend. I don't push back against it because it's not pleasant, I push back against it because I think the 24/7 "You're absolutely right!" machine is deeply unhealthy.
Some people are especially susceptible and get one shot by it, some people seem to get by just fine, but I doubt it's actually good for anyone.