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2h ago

University of Zurich Researchers Conduct Unauthorized AI Experiment on Reddit

The covert study used AI-generated bots to influence opinions on r/changemyview, sparking ethical complaints and calls to withhold publication.

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Overview

  • Researchers from the University of Zurich ran a secret four-month experiment deploying AI bots on the r/changemyview subreddit to test AI's persuasive abilities.
  • The bots made 1,783 personalized comments, tailoring responses by inferring users' demographic traits from their posting history.
  • Moderators of r/changemyview filed a formal complaint, accusing the researchers of violating subreddit rules and engaging in non-consensual psychological manipulation.
  • The researchers defended their study, claiming university ethics approval and human oversight, but have remained anonymous and declined further comment.
  • Reddit has removed the AI-generated comments and suspended associated accounts, while the University of Zurich has yet to issue a public response.