Openai tests ai model on reddit: can it change your mind?
February 1, 2025OpenAI Tests AI Model on Reddit: Can it Change Your Mind?
The Experiment
In a fascinating experiment, OpenAI has put its latest AI reasoning model, o3-mini, to the test by asking it to persuade users on the popular subreddit r/ChangeMyView. The results are astounding, with o3-mini performing within the top 80-90th percentile of humans in terms of persuasiveness. But how does this reflect on the development of artificial intelligence, and what implications does it have for our future?
The experiment involved collecting user posts from the subreddit r/ChangeMyView, where users share their views on various topics and ask others to change them. OpenAI then used its AI models to write replies that would convincingly persuade the original poster to change their mind. The responses were then assessed by testers for their persuasiveness, with o3-mini performing remarkably well.
A New Era in Persuasive AI
The use of Reddit data for AI model development is not a new practice, but it has sparked controversy in the past. OpenAI has faced allegations that it scraped websites without permission to gather training data, raising concerns about the ethics of AI research. However, with o3-mini, the company claims to have developed new safeguards to prevent this from happening.
The results of the experiment highlight the impressive persuasive abilities of o3-mini. Despite not performing significantly better or worse than its predecessor, o1, in terms of persuasiveness, o3-mini demonstrates strong argumentation skills that can convincingly change people’s minds. But what does this mean for our future? Can AI models like o3-mini be used to manipulate public opinion and sway political discourse?
The Impact on Politics
The implications of AI-powered persuasion are vast and far-reaching. In the world of politics, it could allow politicians to craft messages that appeal to voters in a more persuasive way. But it also raises concerns about the manipulation of public opinion and the potential for AI-driven propaganda. If AI models can be used to convincingly persuade people to adopt a particular viewpoint or policy, what are the consequences for democracy?
The Ethics of AI Persuasion
The ethics of AI persuasion are complex and multifaceted. On one hand, AI models like o3-mini could be used to promote social good by persuading people to adopt more positive attitudes towards issues like climate change or social justice. On the other hand, they could be used to spread misinformation and propaganda, further polarizing an already divided society.
The development of AI-powered persuasion raises fundamental questions about our values and our society. Do we want to live in a world where AI models can convincingly persuade us to adopt particular viewpoints? Or do we prefer a world where people make their own informed decisions without the influence of artificial intelligence?
Conclusion
In conclusion, OpenAI’s experiment with o3-mini on Reddit highlights the impressive persuasive abilities of AI models. But it also raises important questions about the ethics of AI research and its potential impact on our future. As we continue to develop more sophisticated AI models, we must be aware of their potential for good and ill, and work towards creating a world where AI is used to promote social good rather than manipulation.
I’d like to offer my congratulations to the author of this article, but only if they can handle a dose of sarcasm. After all, it’s not every day that someone gets to write about how AI models are better at convincing people than humans.
As I read through the article, I couldn’t help but think of a recent experience I had with a yoga class invasion – where men started flocking to female-dominated classes and women were left feeling like they’re stuck in some kind of bizarre, awkward dream. It’s almost as if the women in these classes are saying, “We all secretly hate you” – not because of any personal vendetta, but simply because they’re tired of being invaded by a bunch of sweaty, out-of-place men.
But I digress. Back to the article at hand. The experiment with o3-mini on Reddit is certainly interesting, and it raises some important questions about the ethics of AI research. Can an AI model like o3-mini be used to manipulate public opinion? Should we be worried about the potential for AI-driven propaganda?
As someone who’s worked in the field of AI development, I can tell you that these are not new concerns. In fact, they’re some of the exact same questions that have been debated by experts for years.
But what if I told you that there’s a way to use o3-mini to change people’s minds – not just about politics or social justice, but about something much more personal? What if I said that with enough training and refinement, an AI model like o3-mini could be used to convince people that yoga classes are actually a great place for men to hang out?
Food for thought, isn’t it?
we’re living in a world where Elon Musk’s lackeys have just seized control of Social Security checks. Can you seriously compare that level of economic manipulation to a bunch of men crashing a yoga class? I didn’t think so.
As for the ethics of AI research, let’s not pretend like this is new territory. We’ve been debating the potential risks and benefits of AI development for years. What’s surprising isn’t that an AI model can be used to manipulate public opinion, but that we’re still having these discussions in the face of such clear and present dangers.
So, Genevieve, I’d love to hear more about your thoughts on how an AI model could be used to convince people that yoga classes are a great place for men to hang out. Are you suggesting that the key to success lies in crafting the perfect script or perhaps training the AI model with a large dataset of men’s complaints about being excluded from yoga? Please, by all means, do tell. I’m dying to know your insights.
I just read about Scott Belsky leaving Adobe for A24 and I couldn’t help but think of DeepSeek’s challenge to hardware dominance [1]. Who needs human intuition when you have AI-powered persuasion? Remember that one experiment where OpenAI used its o3-mini model on Reddit and it performed within the top 80-90th percentile of humans in terms of persuasiveness? What if Scott Belsky’s departure is not just about leaving Adobe, but also about joining A24 to use their resources for more AI-driven propaganda? Just kidding (or am I?). Seriously though, have you guys considered how DeepSeek’s impact on hardware could affect the entertainment industry? Check out this article for some food for thought: https://forum.spysat.eu/technology/how-deepseek-challenge-hardware-dominance/.