SoylentNews

Freeman [soylentnews.org] writes:

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2024/09/dead-internet-theory-comes-to-life-with-new-ai-powered-social-media-app/ [arstechnica.com]

For the past few years, a conspiracy theory called "Dead Internet theory [wikipedia.org]" has picked up speed as large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT increasingly generate [arstechnica.com] text and even social media interactions [theguardian.com] found online. The theory says that most social Internet activity today is artificial and designed to manipulate humans for engagement.

On Monday, software developer Michael Sayman launched [x.com] a new AI-populated social network app called SocialAI [socialai.co] that feels like it's bringing that conspiracy theory to life, allowing users to interact solely with AI chatbots instead of other humans. It's available [apple.com] on the iPhone app store, but so far, it's picking up pointed criticism.

After its creator announced SocialAI as "a private social network where you receive millions of AI-generated comments offering feedback, advice & reflections on each post you make," computer security specialist Ian Coldwater quipped [x.com] on X, "This sounds like actual hell." Software developer and frequent AI pundit Colin Fraser expressed [x.com] a similar sentiment: "I don’t mean this like in a mean way or as a dunk or whatever but this actually sounds like Hell. Like capital H Hell."
[...]
As The Verge reports [theverge.com] in an excellent rundown of the example interactions, SocialAI lets users choose the types of AI followers they want, including categories like "supporters," "nerds," and "skeptics." These AI chatbots then respond to user posts with brief comments and reactions on almost any topic, including nonsensical "Lorem ipsum" text.

Sometimes the bots can be too helpful. On Bluesky, one user asked for instructions [bsky.app] on how to make nitroglycerin out of common household chemicals and received several enthusiastic responses from bots detailing the steps, although several bots provided different recipes, none of which may be wholly accurate.
[...]
None of this would be possible without access to inexpensive LLMs like the kind that power ChatGPT [arstechnica.com]. So far, SocialAI creator Sayman has said he is using a "custom mix [x.com]" of AI models
[...]
On Bluesky, evolutionary biologist and frequent AI commentator Carl T. Bergstrom wrote [bsky.app], "So I signed up for the new heaven-ban SocialAI social network where you’re all alone in a world of bots. It is so much worse than I ever imagined. It’s not GPT-level AI; it’s more like ELIZA level, if the ELIZAs were lazily written stereotypes of every douchebag on ICQ circa 1999."
[...]
As a piece of prospective performance art, SocialAI may be genius. Or perhaps you could look at it as a form of social commentary on the vapidity of social media or about the harm of algorithmic filter bubbles [wikipedia.org] that only feed you what you want to see and hear. But since its creator seems sincere, we're unsure how the service may fit into the future of social media apps.

For now, the app has already picked up a few positive reviews on the app store from people who seem to enjoy this taste of the hypothetical "dead Internet" by verbally jousting with the bots for entertainment: "5 stars and I’ve been using this for 10 minutes. I could argue with this AI for HOURS 😭 it’s actually so much fun to see what it will say to the most random stuff 💀."

Original Submission