A new AI-powered tool that allows users to query nearly two decades of Hacker News comments has ignited a passionate discussion about digital privacy, data ownership, and the boundaries of artificial intelligence.

The project, developed by camelAI, enables users to run sophisticated queries across the entire Hacker News archive, such as analyzing user commenting patterns, tracking programming language discussions, and generating insights from community interactions. While technically impressive, the tool has quickly surfaced deep-seated concerns about online anonymity and data usage.

Online commentators expressed a range of reactions, from fascination to genuine alarm. Some users reported being unsettled by the tool's ability to potentially "dox" or reconstruct individual user profiles by analyzing writing styles and historical comments. The discussion highlighted a growing unease about how AI technologies can aggregate and interpret seemingly innocuous public data.

The developers claim they're using a publicly available BigQuery dataset published by Hacker News, but many users remain skeptical about the ethical implications. The debate underscores a broader tension between technological innovation and personal privacy in the digital age.

Ultimately, the tool serves as a provocative example of how AI can transform massive public datasets into granular, searchable insights – raising critical questions about consent, data ownership, and the evolving landscape of online interaction.