Why AI makes IAI available at scale

The method always existed as an ideal. Practising it required a well-read, independent, adversarially-disposed colleague — available in real time, willing to push hard. For most researchers working alone, that requirement was effectively a barrier.

Large language models change this. An AI sparring partner maintains adversarial disposition without social friction, generates challenges in real time, documents every exchange by default, and sources objections across disciplines simultaneously.