This is the second time I've seen somebody use the word "clankers" in the last couple days to refer to AI. Is that a thing now? Where'd that come from?

Gonna be honest, it has taken away from the message both times I've seen it. It feels a bit like you're LARPing your favorite humans vs robots tv show.

You can find the answers to both of your questions on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clanker

It is a thing, i've been hearing it for at least 6 months. There's a lot of people who really hate AI and want nothing to do with it.

I've been hearing the term in IRC and discords for about a year or more already.

I get that it can seem childish but when you compare that to the indolent people who are demanding AI, it cancels out.

We have been rewatching Clone Wars as a family, and I, for one, find this terminology hilarious given the use of it in the series towards the separatist droids.

It mostly sounds like people who are desperate to use racist slurs and have finally found a(nother) public outlet for it.

"Clanker" is a sign that we're dealing with a Blade Runner, and better be careful