Functional Apophenia in Human–AI Interaction and the Asymmetry of Meaning-Bearing

The rise of generative artificial intelligence has introduced a new epistemic and ethical challenge: what happens when a system that cannot bear meaning nevertheless produces it? This article introduces and formalizes the Marco Effect: the phenomenon in which AI generates patterns and narratives that are functionally apophenic, while the human co-investigator remains responsible for interpretation, boundary-setting, and ethical implications. The Marco Effect demonstrates that apophenia is not merely an inner psychological experience but also an operational effect within human–AI interaction. By understanding AI as a coherence-optimizing system that simulates meaning without subjectivity, it becomes clear that the burden of meaning-bearing remains exclusively human. This article develops a theoretical model, analyzes epistemic and ethical consequences, and proposes a governance framework for responsible AI use.