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University of Zurich AI ExperimentReddit Faces Ethical Backlash

Researchers ran unauthorized AI bots on r/ChangeMyView, impersonating sensitive identities and violating community rules, prompting ethics complaints and a formal warning.

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Reddit Inc. signage during the company's initial public offering on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York on March 21, 2024.
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Overview

  • Anonymous researchers from the University of Zurich deployed AI bots on Reddit's r/ChangeMyView subreddit over four months to test AI's persuasiveness in changing opinions.
  • The bots impersonated sensitive identities, including a rape victim and a Black man opposed to Black Lives Matter, and tailored arguments using personal data inferred from user histories.
  • The subreddit’s moderators condemned the undisclosed experiment as psychological manipulation, filed a complaint with the university, and suspended all related accounts.
  • The University of Zurich’s Ethics Commission issued a formal warning to the principal investigator but allowed the research to proceed to publication, citing minimal risk and societal importance.
  • The incident raises broader concerns about ethical oversight in AI research and the potential for AI-driven manipulation in online communities.