The Impact of Advanced AI Systems on Trust in Communication

The advancement of AI systems has raised concerns about the trust we have in those we communicate with. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have conducted a study on the impact of advanced AI systems on our trust in individuals we interact with. The study explores how individuals interpret and relate to situations where one of the parties is an AI agent.

In one scenario, a scammer attempts to defraud an elderly man by communicating through pre-recorded loops of a computer system. The scammer spends a considerable amount of time trying to scam the “man” who is actually a computer system. The study found that people often take a long time to realize they are interacting with an AI system.

Trust Issues and Suspicion

The study highlights the negative consequences of harbouring suspicion towards others. Trust issues can lead to jealousy, and an increased tendency to search for evidence of deception. The authors argue that being unable to fully trust a conversational partner’s intentions and identity may result in excessive suspicion even when there is no reason for it.

During interactions between two humans, the study discovered that some behaviours were interpreted as signs that one of them was actually a robot. The researchers suggest that the development of AI with increasingly human-like features can be problematic, particularly when it is unclear who you are communicating with.

Creating AI with Synthetic Voices

The article proposes creating AI with well-functioning and eloquent voices that are still clearly synthetic, increasing transparency. The researchers argue that the creation of AI with human-like voices can lead people to form impressions based on the voice alone, making it harder to identify that we are interacting with a computer.

In conclusion, the advancement of AI systems has raised concerns about trust in communication. The study highlights the negative consequences of suspicion towards others and the need for transparency in the development of AI systems. It is important to create AI systems with synthetic voices to prevent confusion and to ensure that individuals are aware of who they are communicating with.