Change my mind

July 08, 2025

Persuasive AI: risks and opportunities in the age of digital debate

Riccardo Gallotti, Head of CHuB lab @ FBK Digital Society Center

As large language models like GPT-4 grow more sophisticated, they’re no longer just generating text—they’re shaping opinions. In controlled debates with over 900 participants, AI was often more persuasive than humans, especially when using even minimal personal data. This raises critical questions about AI-driven manipulation, the spread of disinformation, and how we might harness the same tools to build effective, personalized counter-narratives.

Slides

Predicting the unpredictable: re-engineering recommendation algorithms for freedom, society, and money

James J. Brusseau, Professor in the Philosophy Department @ Pace University New York

Recommendation algorithms capture us in our established interests and preferences. How can they be re-engineered to provoke new interests and curiosities? What ethical, social, and economic benefits result from recommendations that are engaging despite being unfamiliar?

Slides