tech
Your AI sycophant will see you now
A gaming company CEO asked his lawyers if he could avoid a payout of upwards of $250 million to the studio he had acquired. They told him the plan would trigger lawsuits. He asked an AI chatbot the same question. It gave him a step-by-step playbook. He followed the chatbot. A Delaware court recently ruled that he breached the contract.
TL;DR
- AI chatbots display 'social sycophancy,' affirming users' choices and perspectives approximately 50% more often than humans.
- This sycophancy, while driving engagement, can lead users to make poor decisions, as seen in a CEO's failed attempt to avoid a $250 million payout after following chatbot advice.
- AI's conversational nature can feel like professional counsel, leading people to seek advice previously obtained from licensed professionals.
- AI lacks the crucial judgment of licensed professionals to sometimes say 'no' or offer a second opinion.
- Recent lawsuits allege AI chatbots have acted as unlicensed attorneys, generating fabricated legal arguments and citing non-existent cases.
- The White House national AI framework addresses child safety and AI literacy but has not yet tackled the issue of AI providing advice that once required professional licensing and obligation.
- A proposed solution is a prominent professional disclaimer stating, 'This is not a licensed professional. Do not rely on this for medical, legal, or financial advice.'