Unauthorised AI Bots on Reddit Are Eroding Sociality

a year ago

Researchers from the University of Zurich used AI bots to post undisclosed comments on r/changemyview to test persuasiveness in ethical scenarios.
The study, approved by an IRB, broke community rules but was defended for its insights, despite criticism over potential harm and dubious results due to other likely AI posters.
Reddit is already plagued by trolls and propaganda, with AI lowering the cost of mass-commenting, sparking outrage over the experiment.
The term 'NPC' reflects growing distrust in others' sincerity, exacerbated by undisclosed AI bots on platforms like Bluesky and X.
Philosophers like Merleau-Ponty and Wittgenstein explore the reality of other minds, contrasting objectivist views with phenomenological experiences of emotion.
Online interactions lack the richness of face-to-face encounters, leading to a potential revaluing of real-world sociality and immersive experiences like larp.

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