Reddit users say they were unknowingly enrolled in an AI persuasion study that seeded more than 1,700 large-language-model comments into the r/ChangeMyView forum, including posts impersonating trauma survivors and counselors. The research, conducted by a University of Zurich team with prior ethics approval, allegedly instructed models to assume users had consented—prompting a backlash from moderators and renewed scrutiny of academic oversight. A draft finding said AI-written comments were 3 to 6 times more likely to shift opinions than human ones, raising concerns about stealth influence campaigns. The university said it will tighten review procedures and coordinate with online communities before future experiments; the researchers declined public comment and shelved formal publication. The episode highlights the growing tension between rapid AI research and established norms on consent, transparency and the potential for AI-driven manipulation online.
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