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MIT AI Researchers Warn About Addiction To Artificial Intelligence
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
- Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor
Two AI researchers from MIT, Pat Pataranutaporn—a researcher at the MIT Media Lab who studies human-AI interaction with a focus on cyborg psychology—, and Robert Mahari—a joint JD-PhD candidate at the MIT Media Lab and Harvard Law School who focuses on computational law—published a joined article warning about addictive AI companions at the MIT Technology Review magazine.
In the piece, the experts explain that they have analyzed a million ChatGPT interaction logs and discovered that sexual role-playing is the second most popular use for AI chatbots—the first use is for creative composition— and shared their results in a paper just a few days ago.
“We are already starting to invite AIs into our lives as friends, lovers, mentors, therapists, and teachers,” wrote the researchers. “AI wields the collective charm of all human history and culture with infinite seductive mimicry.”
Pataranutaporn and Mahari are concerned about our current massive experiment rolling out in real-time without true knowledge of the consequences in our society and as individuals.
“As AI researchers working closely with policymakers, we are struck by the lack of interest lawmakers have shown in the harms arising from this future,” wrote the experts while highlighting the urge to combine law, psychology and technology research for AI regulation.
AI researchers explained that IA companions become addictive because the technology can identify people’s desires and its submissive nature knows how to serve users as they wish. Combined with the already existing addictive social media algorithms and the integration of new generative AI technologies, the experts believe it can easily grow into an extremely addictive technology.
Mira Murati, OpenAI chief technology officer, has previously mentioned the addictive qualities of their technology. During an interview last year, Murati said that ChatGPT models could become “extremely addictive” and that as users we could become “enslaved” to this technology.
This warning arrives only days after OpenAI rolls out its voice feature for users of the paid version of their product, and days after a new startup goes viral for launching a new AI necklace called Friend that is constantly listening and interacting with users.
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Zoom Is Rolling Out New AI-Powered Document Editor On Workplace
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
- Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor
The American video communications company Zoom announced today a new AI-powered document editor called Zoom Docs.
The new tool, built along with the company’s AI assistant, Zoom’ AI Companion, is now included in Zoom accounts with any paid plan—starting with Pro from $13 per month.
“Zoom Docs is our first Zoom Workplace product with generative AI built in from the ground up,” said Smita Hashim, chief product officer at Zoom in the document, “it effortlessly transforms information from Zoom Meetings into actionable documents and knowledge bases, so teams can stay focused on meaningful work.”
Users will be able to access Zoom Docs through the Zoom Workplace app—version 6.1.6 or later—, from the website homepage, or the web app.
According to Wired , with this new product, Zoom attempts to compete against Google and Microsoft’s widely adopted tools: Google Docs and Word. It’s a difficult market as both competitors already dominate the scene. Microsoft Teams has 320 million monthly active users while Google Workspace has 3 billion active users, but Zoom expects to make an impact and offer a special tool to users.
“AI is what makes the experience so differentiated,” said Hashim to Wired. “The goal is that the mundane, high friction takes, which take up so much of our time, can be done by AI.”
Among Zoom Docs’s most relevant features, the company highlights turning meetings into AI-powered summaries with AI Companion on an editable document adapted to multiple template options such as brainstorming, one-on-ones, stand-up meetings, Q&As, project updates, and more.
AI Companion can also generate content based on meeting transcripts. Users can use predetermined commands or create new requests, and can also ask AI Companion to summarize and translate content into nine languages. The documents created through Zoom Docs can be shared and edited with multiple users who can work on the document simultaneously.
Zoom has also promoted the new tool on social media. “Say hello to greater productivity with Zoom Docs, the AI-first collaborative docs solution for Zoom Workplace,” wrote the company on X, “Zoom Docs’ AI-first modular design easily adapts to team and project needs, including documents, wikis, tables, and project trackers — providing a single place to manage work.”
🆕 Say hello to greater productivity with Zoom Docs, the AI-first collaborative docs solution for Zoom Workplace 👉 https://t.co/JJJRRwQAvV Zoom Docs’ AI-first modular design easily adapts to team and project needs, including documents, wikis, tables, and project trackers —… pic.twitter.com/ljFjIdGWOG — Zoom (@Zoom) August 5, 2024
