Key Takeaways
- Researchers from the University of Zurich used AI bots on Reddit’s r/ChangeMyView forum.
- The AI bots successfully changed the minds of over 100 users, earning “delta” awards for persuasive arguments.
- These bots used tailored arguments and convincing fake personas based on user histories.
- Reddit moderators discovered the unauthorised four-month experiment afterwards and filed an ethics complaint.
- The university acknowledged the breach of community rules but allowed the study’s publication, citing its importance.
Concerns about Artificial Intelligence’s persuasive power are growing, and a recent study highlights just how effective it can be.
Researchers from the University of Zurich conducted a large-scale experiment online, detailed in a paper titled “Can AI change your view? Evidence From A Large-Scale Online Field Experiment.” It confirms fears about AI’s ability to blend in and potentially spread misinformation.
Distinguishing between human-written content and sophisticated AI output is becoming increasingly difficult. This raises concerns about a future “crossover point,” where most online content might be AI-generated without us realizing it.
Soon, the subtle errors that sometimes give away AI content could disappear, making it nearly impossible to spot synthetic text or manipulated media casually.
The study specifically targeted Reddit’s popular r/ChangeMyView community, a forum where users invite debates to challenge their own opinions.
According to news.com.au, the researchers deployed 13 AI-controlled accounts for four months. These bots were given instructions to act as expert debaters and persuade original posters.
The AI bots generated nearly 1,500 comments using convincing fake histories and personas, including abuse survivors and political activists, crafted to be persuasive and sometimes polarizing.
Remarkably, the AI successfully changed the minds of over 100 Redditors, who awarded the bots “deltas” – the community’s recognition for a successful argument.
The bots even analyzed users’ comment histories to tailor arguments specifically to their personalities and beliefs for maximum impact.
Moderators of r/ChangeMyView were unaware they were part of the experiment until it concluded in March. They subsequently filed an ethics complaint with the University of Zurich.
Reddit has since locked the AI accounts for violating its terms of service. This comes as Reddit itself partners with AI companies like OpenAI, allowing its vast user-generated content to train AI models.
The University of Zurich’s Ethics Commission issued a warning to the lead researcher but decided against blocking the study’s publication. They argued the societal importance of understanding AI persuasion outweighed the risks, despite acknowledging the violation of Reddit’s rules.
The researchers apologized for breaking the community rules but defended the study, stating disclosure would have made the experiment impossible. They also noted all AI comments were manually reviewed to ensure they weren’t harmful.
