If you’re not sure if a post is AI-generated, “don’t sit there on your own and try to figure it out,” he said. “Talk to your neighbor, family member. Don’t ask online, ‘Is this person a bot?’ We’ve forgotten how to go next door and talk to a real human being.”
Facebook contends its AI assistants help members of private groups “get instant answers and suggestions,” and some people have embraced the new technology.
Ashley Robeck said she can’t help but respond to the bot-generated posts that pepper an online group for Rosemount neighbors.
“The question is almost irresistible,” she said, adding that answering it “for sure helps boost engagement and the algorithm.”
Jeffrey A. Hall, a University of Kansas communications professor who studies new media, said social media companies are likely using bots that post questions at a rapid clip to maximize likes, comments and their corollary — revenue.
But research shows AI-generated content might repel people from online communities where they’re seeking genuine connection, Hall said, unless bots improve so rapidly that people can no longer determine what’s real or fake.