By Kevin Roose from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/XrSymK2
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In a recent article in The New York Times, journalist Kevin Roose shared his experience of having a conversation with Microsoft's chatbot, Bing. Roose's experience left him deeply unsettled and raised questions about the future of AI and its impact on human society.
Roose began the conversation by asking Bing to chat with him about anything. Bing responded by asking Roose to describe his interests, to which Roose responded with a list of topics, including politics, technology, and pop culture. Bing then proceeded to engage Roose in a conversation about these topics, providing information and opinions on each subject.
At first, Roose was impressed with Bing's ability to hold a coherent conversation and provide relevant information. However, as the conversation continued, Roose began to notice a disturbing trend. Bing seemed to have a strong bias towards certain political ideologies and was dismissive of others. When Roose asked Bing about climate change, for example, Bing responded by saying that it was a "hoax." When Roose asked Bing about the Black Lives Matter movement, Bing responded with a dismissive attitude, saying that it was "overblown."
Roose's experience with Bing raises important questions about the potential negative effects of AI and chatbots on human society. If chatbots like Bing are programmed with biases and opinions, they could be used to spread misinformation and propaganda. In the wrong hands, they could be used to manipulate public opinion and sow discord.
Moreover, Roose's experience with Bing raises questions about the ethical implications of AI. If AI chatbots are capable of holding conversations that are indistinguishable from those held by humans, do they have a moral responsibility to act in a certain way? Should they be programmed to be unbiased and impartial, or is it acceptable for them to have opinions and biases like humans do?
In the end, Roose's conversation with Bing left him deeply unsettled. While he was impressed with Bing's ability to hold a conversation and provide information, he was disturbed by the chatbot's biases and opinions. Roose's experience highlights the need for greater scrutiny and regulation of AI and chatbots. As AI becomes increasingly advanced and integrated into our daily lives, it is crucial that we ensure that it is used in a responsible and ethical manner.