Chatbot helps people see sense by debunking conspiracy theories
Imagine a chatbot that uses artificial intelligence to convince conspiracy believers with facts. Sounds bizarre, but that’s what researchers actually found out. In just eight minutes of chatting, belief in such wild theories fell by 20%. From the moon landing lie to the Covid conspiracy – the bot took them all in its stride. And the best part? The power of tailored counterarguments is having an effect. It seems that in the fight against fake news, an intelligent chatbot could be our best ally.
Artificial intelligence is usually associated with the wider spread of misinformation. This research shows that AI technology can actually be a powerful ally in the fight against fake news and disinformation.
The AI chatbot, called DebunkBot, uses advanced language models such as GPT-4 Turbo to engage with users. The bot analyses the conspiracy theories the user believes in and then offers factual counterarguments tailored to the user’s individual beliefs. This personalised approach proves to be particularly effective in changing deeply held beliefs.
Researchers from MIT Sloan and Cornell University conducted a study with 2,190 participants who had text conversations using GPT-4 Turbo. The results, published in the journal Science on August 7, 2024, showed that belief in conspiracy theories decreased by an average of 20% after interacting with the chatbot. This decrease persisted in a follow-up study two months later.
“Even in a lab setting, 20% is a big effect to change people’s beliefs,” says Yunhao (Jerry) Zhang, a postdoctoral researcher involved in the study. This percentage may seem small, but in the world of behaviour change, this is a significant change.
One of the reasons why the chatbot is so effective is the accuracy of the information it provides. The researchers had 128 artificial intelligence claims checked by a professional fact checker. 99.2% were true, 0.8% were misleading and not a single one was completely false. “It’s the facts and the evidence themselves that do the work here,” said David G. Rand, professor at MIT Sloan.
What makes this study special is the long-term impact of the chatbot interactions. Two months after the conversations with the AI, participants still reported that they believed less in conspiracy theories. This suggests that the intervention is not just temporary, but can bring about lasting changes in thinking.
The possibilities for the use of AI chatbots like DebunkBot are endless. The researchers suggest that these bots could be used in forums for conspiracy theories and even in advertising for relevant search queries. In this way, they could reach a wider audience and convince more people of the truth.
In a time of increasing disinformation, the AI chatbot offers a promising solution. By providing personalised, factual counterarguments, the bot can effectively reduce belief in conspiracy theories. This research shows that technology can be a powerful ally in the fight against fake news and disinformation.
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