Ellsworth
06-26-2025, 02:07 PM
Apparently the University of Zurich did a unauthorized, undisclosed experiment with Reddit users. They let loose an AI designed to, as one college campus agitator might say, 'really change people's minds.'
The posts were centered around r/ChangeMyView and they were made with the intent to try and train AI how to more effectively manipulate humans.
The AI made approx 1700 posts over the course of the experiment. Apparently that's called 'seeding,' i.e. seeded posts. Astroturf or the new 'real?'
The researchers may have 'lied' to the AI model about having authorization for the activity (the word 'lie' has been used to describe this aspect of the event). Is that anthropomorphism?
Is anthropomorphism a goal of AI 'programmers/developers?' If yes, in which direction, humans toward AI or AI towards humans? (Both directions?)
If one AI becomes better at manipulating humans, would it mean that one AI has also become better at manipulating other AIs? Or would individual AIs have a programmable spectrum for being influenced? With some AIs resisting all influence (All additional influence? Most influence?)
https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/22/24080165/google-reddit-ai-training-data
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2478336-reddit-users-were-subjected-to-ai-powered-experiment-without-consent/
https://www.science.org/content/article/unethical-ai-research-reddit-under-fire
Meanwhile in other news:
https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/22/24080165/google-reddit-ai-training-data
"Google cut a deal with Reddit for AI training data... A deal reportedly worth $60 million per year will give Google real-time access to Reddit’s data and use Google AI for Reddit’s search."
The posts were centered around r/ChangeMyView and they were made with the intent to try and train AI how to more effectively manipulate humans.
The AI made approx 1700 posts over the course of the experiment. Apparently that's called 'seeding,' i.e. seeded posts. Astroturf or the new 'real?'
The researchers may have 'lied' to the AI model about having authorization for the activity (the word 'lie' has been used to describe this aspect of the event). Is that anthropomorphism?
Is anthropomorphism a goal of AI 'programmers/developers?' If yes, in which direction, humans toward AI or AI towards humans? (Both directions?)
If one AI becomes better at manipulating humans, would it mean that one AI has also become better at manipulating other AIs? Or would individual AIs have a programmable spectrum for being influenced? With some AIs resisting all influence (All additional influence? Most influence?)
https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/22/24080165/google-reddit-ai-training-data
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2478336-reddit-users-were-subjected-to-ai-powered-experiment-without-consent/
https://www.science.org/content/article/unethical-ai-research-reddit-under-fire
Meanwhile in other news:
https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/22/24080165/google-reddit-ai-training-data
"Google cut a deal with Reddit for AI training data... A deal reportedly worth $60 million per year will give Google real-time access to Reddit’s data and use Google AI for Reddit’s search."