23
Catapulting
/ˈkæt.ə.pʌl.tɪŋ/ (the 'cat' is not a reference to any feline; researchers have asked)v. trans.Experimental
Etymology
from Gk. katapeltes (siege engine) + venture capital growth-hacking lexicon + one (1) ill-advised team offsite, Q3 2022
Definition
The act of launching a conclusion across a logical gap with tremendous force and minimal precision, relying on velocity alone to ensure it reaches the target. A well-executed Catapulting lands in the correct answer; a poorly executed one lands in the neighboring field, which belongs to someone else.
Diagram
Usage
"In 78% of observed trials, the model was Catapulting past intermediate reasoning steps, arriving at correct conclusions via what the lead researcher described as 'vibes, basically.'" - Okonkwo & Sharma, 'Ballistic Inference in Autoregressive Models', ICML 2025
Found this funny? There are 186 more.
Built by Andrew Templeton, who also writes deadpan technical posts on AI operations, retail PE, and the absurdities of being a CTO of weird things. Subscribe for the next one.