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Haven't we? Our evolutionary experience with deception and manipulation via language is as old as language itself and even older than that when the vector isn't language.

Even so, a sucker is born every day.

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Studies have shown that AI is significantly better at manipulating opinions. Mechanically, LLMs are choosing the best next token trained over all human writing, so it shouldn't be a surprise that the words and prose AI use are more powerful on average.

critical thinking is alive and well

Eh? IIRC studies shown that LLMs sound more persuasive than humans. On top of it, they dont tire and have no distractions or “motivations”.

The most powerful social skill I have ever seen, bar none, is actively listening to someone with undivided attention.

They just agree. That's not really persuasion but it is a trap for people who really want to believe they are right.

Depending on the prompt you are using, its definitely more than just agree.

Hell, I had a prompt that I used to sift through my thoughts, and at one point its output was too eerie for me to take.

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