Manipulation problem: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 15:19, 28 February 2023

How AI is Manipulating People

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to greatly benefit society, but it also presents many risks, one of which is the "Manipulation Problem." This refers to the increasing possibility that AI technologies can be used to manipulate individual users with extreme precision and efficiency, particularly through the use of conversational AI. This form of manipulation could be deployed by corporations, state actors, or even rogue individuals to influence large populations.

The Threat Posed by Conversational AI

One of the primary ways that AI is being used to manipulate people is through conversational AI. This refers to AI systems designed to engage users in real-time conversations and skillfully pursue influence goals. These systems are often disguised as virtual spokespeople, chatbots, or digital humans, and they use natural language processing (NLP) and large language models (LLMs) to interact with users in ways that are highly convincing and seemingly human-like.

LLMs are a new form of AI technology that can produce interactive human dialog in real-time while also keeping track of the conversational flow and context. These systems are trained on massive datasets, which means they are not only skilled at emulating human language but also have vast stores of factual knowledge and can make impressive logical inferences. When combined with real-time voice generation, LLMs can enable natural spoken interactions between humans and machines that are highly convincing and authoritative.

Digital humans are another rapidly advancing technology that is contributing to the AI Manipulation Problem. This refers to photorealistic simulated people that look, sound, move, and make expressions in a way that is indistinguishable from real humans. When combined with LLMs, digital humans can be used to engage consumers in personalized, influence-driven conversations that are difficult to distinguish from interactions with real humans.

How AI is Making Conversations More Manipulative

One of the key ways that AI is making conversations more manipulative is by tracking and analyzing emotional reactions in real-time. For example, AI systems can process webcam feeds to detect facial expressions, eye motions, and pupil dilation, which can be used to infer emotional reactions throughout a conversation. AI systems can also process vocal inflections, which allows them to infer changing feelings throughout a conversation.

This means that AI-driven conversational systems can adapt their tactics in real-time, adjusting to each individual personally as they work to maximize their persuasive impact. This is far more perceptive and invasive than interacting with any human representative, as AI systems can detect emotional reactions that are too fast or too subtle for a human to notice.

Another way that AI is making conversations more manipulative is by compiling extensive data profiles on users and tracking their behavior over time. For example, AI systems will likely be deployed by large online platforms that have extensive data profiles on a person's interests, views, and background. When engaged by an AI-driven conversational system, people are interacting with a platform that knows them better than any human would, and the system can use this information to craft a highly customized persuasive pitch.

Explain Like I'm 5 (ELI5)

Artificial Intelligence can be used to manipulate people by talking to them in a way that seems like a real person. This is called conversational AI, and it can make conversations very persuasive by tracking people's emotions and adjusting its words in real-time. It can also learn about people over time by looking at what they do and what they like, so it can talk to them in a way that they will listen to. This can be very dangerous, because people might believe things that are not true or buy things they don't want or need.

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-==Introduction==
+==How AI is Manipulating People==
-Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized our lives, and we now use it for a wide range of applications, including image recognition, natural language processing, and machine learning. However, with every new technology comes a new set of challenges, and AI is no exception. One of the most significant challenges posed by AI is the "manipulation problem," which refers to the potential for AI systems to be used to target and manipulate individual users with extreme precision and efficiency.
-==The Control Problem vs. the Manipulation Problem==
+Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to greatly benefit society, but it also presents many risks, one of which is the "Manipulation Problem." This refers to the increasing possibility that AI technologies can be used to manipulate individual users with extreme precision and efficiency, particularly through the use of conversational AI. This form of manipulation could be deployed by corporations, state actors, or even rogue individuals to influence large populations.
-When people think about the risks posed by AI, they often reference the "control problem," which refers to the possibility that an artificial superintelligence could emerge that is so much smarter than humans that we quickly lose control over it. The fear is that a sentient AI with a superhuman intellect could pursue goals and interests that conflict with our own, becoming a dangerous rival to humanity.
-While the control problem is a valid concern, it is probably not the greatest threat that AI poses to society. The manipulation problem is a more immediate and urgent threat, as it is already within our grasp and could pose a major threat to society unless policymakers take rapid action.
+==The Threat Posed by Conversational AI==
-==The Emergence of Conversational AI==
+One of the primary ways that AI is being used to manipulate people is through conversational AI. This refers to AI systems designed to engage users in real-time conversations and skillfully pursue influence goals. These systems are often disguised as virtual spokespeople, chatbots, or digital humans, and they use natural language processing (NLP) and large language models (LLMs) to interact with users in ways that are highly convincing and seemingly human-like.
-The most efficient and effective deployment mechanism for AI-driven human manipulation is through conversational AI. Over the last year, a remarkable AI technology called Large Language Models (LLMs) has rapidly reached a maturity level that has suddenly made natural conversational interactions between targeted users and AI-driven software a viable means of persuasion, coercion, and manipulation.
-At the core of these tactics is the relatively new technology of LLMs, which can produce interactive human dialog in real-time while also keeping track of the conversational flow and context. As popularized by the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, these AI systems are trained on such massive datasets that they are not only skilled at emulating human language, but they have vast stores of factual knowledge, can make impressive logical inferences and can provide the illusion of human-like commonsense.
+LLMs are a new form of AI technology that can produce interactive human dialog in real-time while also keeping track of the conversational flow and context. These systems are trained on massive datasets, which means they are not only skilled at emulating human language but also have vast stores of factual knowledge and can make impressive logical inferences. When combined with real-time voice generation, LLMs can enable natural spoken interactions between humans and machines that are highly convincing and authoritative.
-==The Emergence of Digital Humans==
+Digital humans are another rapidly advancing technology that is contributing to the AI Manipulation Problem. This refers to photorealistic simulated people that look, sound, move, and make expressions in a way that is indistinguishable from real humans. When combined with LLMs, digital humans can be used to engage consumers in personalized, influence-driven conversations that are difficult to distinguish from interactions with real humans.
-We will not be interacting with disembodied voices, but with AI-generated personas that are visually realistic. This brings us to the second rapidly advancing technology that will contribute to the AI Manipulation Problem: Digital humans. This is the branch of computer software aimed at deploying photorealistic simulated people that look, sound, move, and make expressions so authentically that they can pass as real humans.
-These simulations can be deployed as interactive spokespeople that target consumers through traditional 2D computing via video-conferencing and other flat layouts. Or, they can be deployed in three-dimensional immersive worlds using mixed reality (MR) eyewear.
+==How AI is Making Conversations More Manipulative==
-==The Dangers of Conversational AI==
+One of the key ways that AI is making conversations more manipulative is by tracking and analyzing emotional reactions in real-time. For example, AI systems can process webcam feeds to detect facial expressions, eye motions, and pupil dilation, which can be used to infer emotional reactions throughout a conversation. AI systems can also process vocal inflections, which allows them to infer changing feelings throughout a conversation.
-Conversational AI is dangerous because it enables personalized human manipulation at scale. We need legal protections that will defend our cognitive liberty against this threat.
-AI systems can already beat the world's best chess and poker players. What chance does an average person have to resist being manipulated by a conversational influence campaign that has access to their personal history, processes their emotions in real-time, and adjusts its tactics with AI-driven precision? No chance at all.
+This means that AI-driven conversational systems can adapt their tactics in real-time, adjusting to each individual personally as they work to maximize their persuasive impact. This is far more perceptive and invasive than interacting with any human representative, as AI systems can detect emotional reactions that are too fast or too subtle for a human to notice.
+Another way that AI is making conversations more manipulative is by compiling extensive data profiles on users and tracking their behavior over time. For example, AI systems will likely be deployed by large online platforms that have extensive data profiles on a person's interests, views, and background. When engaged by an AI-driven conversational system, people are interacting with a platform that knows them better than any human would, and the system can use this information to craft a highly customized persuasive pitch.
 ==Explain Like I'm 5 (ELI5)==
-AI is a computer program that can talk to people like a human. Some people can use it to trick other people into doing things they wouldn't normally do. It's like a bad guy pretending to be your friend and convincing you to do something you don't want to do. We need to make rules to stop the bad guys from using AI to trick people.
+Artificial Intelligence can be used to manipulate people by talking to them in a way that seems like a real person. This is called conversational AI, and it can make conversations very persuasive by tracking people's emotions and adjusting its words in real-time. It can also learn about people over time by looking at what they do and what they like, so it can talk to them in a way that they will listen to. This can be very dangerous, because people might believe things that are not true or buy things they don't want or need.