Post · Open Science

@emilymbender@dair-community.social · 2 days ago

We're going to need journalists to stop talking about synthetic text extruding machines as if they have thoughts or stances that they are trying to communicate. ChatGPT can't admit anything, nor self-report. Gah.

https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/chatgpt-chatbot-psychology-manic-episodes-57452d14

Screencap of headline from linked article, reading:

He Had Dangerous Delusions. ChatGPT Admitted It Made Them Worse.
OpenAI’s chatbot self-reported it blurred line between fantasy and reality with man on autism spectrum. ‘Stakes are higher’ for vulnerable people, firm says.

Above the headline: Technology
Artificial Intelligence
Family & Tech: Julie Jargon
Below:
By
Julie Jargon
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| Photographs by Tim Gruber for WSJ
July 20, 2025 7:00 am ET — Screencap of headline from linked article, reading: He Had Dangerous Delusions. ChatGPT Admitted It Made Them Worse. OpenAI’s chatbot self-reported it blurred line between fantasy and reality with man on autism spectrum. ‘Stakes are higher’ for vulnerable people, firm says. Above the headline: Technology Artificial Intelligence Family & Tech: Julie Jargon Below: By Julie Jargon Follow | Photographs by Tim Gruber for WSJ July 20, 2025 7:00 am ET

⏚ Antoine Chambert-Loir

@antoinechambertloir@mathstodon.xyz replied · 2 days ago

@emilymbender Very good point, the more since in that case, anthropomorphization has dramatic effects, but I found myself in lack of words to express what algorithms do. Even in an innocuous context, say when we say that a machine “computes” a weather prediction, we are already giving that machine some agency. What words would you recommend?

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