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AI auto-complete may subtly shape views on social issues
Using AI to auto-complete written communications may be tempting. But the large language models may also auto-complete thoughts, researchers report March 11 in Science Advances.
Few people realize that generative AI chatbots are pushing them to think a certain way, says information scientist Mor Naaman of Cornell University. “It’s the subtlest of manipulations.”
Such manipulation may not matter much when letting AI agents such as ChatGPT and Claude auto-complete a banal email. But when people use an AI’s auto-complete function to opine on weightier societal matters, such as whether or not standardized testing should be used in education, the death penalty should be illegal or felons should be allowed to vote — three issues explored in the study — then the model’s bias can have significant societal impact. Large swaths of people using the same biased model could sway an entire population’s position on a given policy or politician. To flip a single election’s outcome, “you only need 20,000 people in Pennsylvania,” Naaman says.
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https://www.sciencenews.org/article/ai-autocomplete-social-issues-views
Few people realize that generative AI chatbots are pushing them to think a certain way, says information scientist Mor Naaman of Cornell University. “It’s the subtlest of manipulations.”
Such manipulation may not matter much when letting AI agents such as ChatGPT and Claude auto-complete a banal email. But when people use an AI’s auto-complete function to opine on weightier societal matters, such as whether or not standardized testing should be used in education, the death penalty should be illegal or felons should be allowed to vote — three issues explored in the study — then the model’s bias can have significant societal impact. Large swaths of people using the same biased model could sway an entire population’s position on a given policy or politician. To flip a single election’s outcome, “you only need 20,000 people in Pennsylvania,” Naaman says.
-- more --
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/ai-autocomplete-social-issues-views
The language we use is important. Even when the words "sound right" that doesn't mean they are true. It's bad enough when we let our own language do our thinking for us, it's worse when we let an AI do it, especially when that AI does not represent our own best interests.
This is an even greater issue with logographic written languages where autocomplete is an intrinsic part of the electronic text entry process.
It's always bad news when we let machines do our thinking for us. It's especially bad when someone with ulterior motives controls those machines.
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and don't know how to get rid of it 
I think I already did that? I found something called “extended predictions” under switch control which I turned off.
How is the beach combing canetoad 
? You find much nicer things than what I find under metaphorical rocks 
.
What is your icon? I wondered..it looks like a flying saucer..
The icon is a humpback whale! They go right past here when they head up the coast for breeding in Queensland warm waters. Coincidentally, my sister lives at the other end of the whale run and when I last visited her we went on a whale cruise to see the mothers and babies. It was way cool.
Lots of good finds at the beach; I'm still waiting for a shipping container of computers or white goods. 