ChatGPT-parent OpenAI’s co-founder and CEO Sam Altman’s latest prediction about artificial intelligence’s potential for “superhuman persuasion” has stirred concerns among some users, who view it as a potential source of “misinformation.”
What Happened: On Tuesday, Altman took to X (formerly Twitter) and shared his insights on the future of AI, suggesting that AI could become exceptionally proficient at persuasion before achieving superhuman general intelligence.
i expect ai to be capable of superhuman persuasion well before it is superhuman at general intelligence, which may lead to some very strange outcomes
— Sam Altman (@sama) October 25, 2023
This idea, while intriguing, has generated mixed reactions in the comment section.
While some users revealed their active implementation of AI-driven persuasion in areas like sales, customer support, and recruitment, others stressed the need for a new currency based on “proof of work” to combat AI’s ability to manipulate information.
While Altman referred to these advancements as “strange outcomes,” some interpreted them as “concerning,” drawing parallels with the viewpoint of Elon Musk, who has previously expressed apprehensions about the potential risks associated with advanced AI technology.
One person said that AI already persuades superhumanly, with many individuals trusting the content generated by AI more than human-produced information.
Amid these discussions, sarcasm also crept in, with one user remarking, “How comforting,” indicating a lack of reassurance in Altman’s prediction.
Another bluntly retorted, “You mean misinformation,” echoing the sentiment that AI’s persuasive capabilities might not necessarily bring about positive outcomes.
Why It’s Important: In May earlier this year, it was reported that at least 49 news websites contained content such as breaking or celebrity news, lifestyle tips, and even sponsored content, without indicating that AI chatbots like ChatGPT or Google Bard were used to produce them.
Meanwhile, AI hallucinations have already been deemed a massive problem for the technology, with big tech CEOs like Sundar Pichai saying that “No one in the field has yet solved the hallucination problems. All models do have this as an issue.”
Moreover, an earlier survey showed that about half of the American population worries that AI could spread misinformation about who wins the upcoming 2024 election.
Produced in association with Benzinga