This is a bit left field for an Adventure Riding site but is relevant for all people looking to communicate online with other people who share a common interest.
This article explores how the implementation of AI will intrude into big social media networks like Facebook, Instagram, Reddit etc to such an extent that users may not know that the ‘person’ they are communicating with is actually an AI chatbot.
Don’t think this is a long way away either, Meta AI has been integrated into search features on Facebook and Instagram, and users cannot turn it off. In another AI feature that’s just started to be rolled out to Facebook and Instagram in other countries Meta AI will respond to a post in a group if someone explicitly tags it or if someone “asks a question in a post and no one responds within an hour.”
This feature hasn’t been rolled out to Facebook groups based in New Zealand yet but will be.
The potential end point of this is being referred to as ‘Dead Internet Theory’. There’s a conspiracy theory wrapped up around the concept but the underlying theme is that there is now or soon will be more content being created by AI than by humans and social networks will end up being entirely fake with Chatbots generating posts which are replied to by other chatbots with no human ever being involved, in which case, where is the value in belonging to such a network for a human?
As tin foil hat as this may sound, Tiktok is exploring rolling out artificial AI-powered influencers, fake AI profiles producing 100% AI generated content.
Since the explosion of the big social networks, specialised sites like Adventure Riding NZ have struggled to retain the level of user engagement they used to enjoy in the early 2000’s, but maybe the internet will come full circle and users will again favour specialised websites for that personal experience and interaction with real people over the behemoths of the social network space.
What are your thoughts? share them below.
