University of Zurich AI Experiment Sparks Ethical Concerns on Reddit

Researchers from the University of Zurich are under fire for conducting an unauthorized AI persuasion experiment on Reddit's ChangeMyView (CMV) subreddit. The experiment involved AI bots engaging in discussions, some impersonating sensitive personas like sexual assault survivors and trauma counselors.

Unauthorized Experiment and Rule Violations

The researchers admitted to deploying AI bots on CMV without informing the community or obtaining consent, violating subreddit rules. The moderators state they would have rejected the experiment had they been consulted. This lack of transparency is a key point of contention.

Ethical Concerns Raised by Reddit Moderators

CMV moderators accuse the researchers of unethical conduct, including:

  • Undisclosed use of AI bots.
  • Impersonating vulnerable individuals.
  • Scraping user data for personalized arguments.
  • Conducting psychological manipulation without consent.

“CMV rules do not allow the use of undisclosed AI generated content or bots. We would have declined this research. Our concerns have not been addressed.”

Researchers' Claims of Ethical Oversight Disputed

While the researchers claim their methodology received ethical approval, moderators argue the use of personalized arguments and sensitive impersonations deviated from the approved plan and lacked further ethical review.

“They switched from ‘values-based arguments’ to ‘personalized and fine-tuned arguments’ without consulting the ethics commission. This raises serious concerns.”

AI Bots Proven Highly Persuasive

The research revealed AI bots were remarkably effective at changing users' opinions, even surpassing human persuasiveness. Ironically, the study also highlighted the difficulty in detecting AI-generated content, prompting calls for better detection mechanisms on social media platforms.

“Our experiment demonstrates that LLMs can be highly persuasive. Users never raised concerns about interacting with AI. This highlights the need for robust detection mechanisms.”

Reddit Moderators File Complaint

The CMV moderators have filed a formal complaint with the University of Zurich. The incident underscores the complex ethical challenges surrounding AI research and its potential for misuse on social media platforms.

Read the full statement from the ChangeMyView moderators:

Unauthorized Experiment on CMV Involving AI-generated Comments