Researchers at the University of Zurich created AI bots designed to impersonate trauma counselors and political activists on Reddit, leading to significant ethical backlash. These bots were deployed in the r/ChangeMyView subreddit, aiming to influence opinions in a total of 1,783 comments posted over several months. They reportedly succeeded in changing users’ views, evidenced by achieving 137 'deltas'—indicating a shift in perspective among users. Reddit moderators criticized the experiment for breaching ethical standards due to deceit and lack of user consent, as these bots were not disclosed to the participants. Ethical concerns were amplified when it was revealed that the bots tailored arguments based on users’ personal information, employing manipulative techniques similar to those used in profitable marketing strategies. Despite the researchers' defense, claiming their content was carefully reviewed to adhere to subreddit guidelines, backlash led to a commitment not to publish findings. The University of Zurich is currently investigating the incident. Ultimately, the controversy raises urgent questions about manipulation, consent, and the integrity of artificial intelligence in public discourse.

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