Reddit is a massive internet platform where people discuss various topics. The University of Zurich has now used Reddit for a study to find out whether an AI can change people’s opinions.
What was the study about? Reddit consists of different subreddits: these are smaller groups where people meet to discuss a wide range of topics. One of these groups was r/ChangeMyView. In this subreddit, users can share their views, even if those views are controversial, to discuss with other users and possibly understand different perspectives.
According to the moderators of the subreddit and the news site NewScientist, the University of Zurich utilized this and secretly set up an online lab. The actors of the study generated over 1,700 comments using AI and spread these AI-generated comments without users’ knowledge to see how people would react. The study ran from November 2024 to March 2025.
These comments included some that impersonated rape victims or posed as trauma counselors specializing in abuse. The outcome could now be alarming, as the AIs were convincing.
AI is more convincing than humans and is not recognized as AI
What conclusion did the study reach? NewScientist reports on a preliminary version of the study’s results. It shows that the AI comments were “three to six times more convincing in changing people’s views than human users, measured by the portion of comments marked as opinion change by other users.”
Furthermore, the report states: “During our intervention, users in r/ChangeMyView never expressed concerns that the comments posted from our accounts might have been generated by an AI. This indicates the potential effectiveness of AI-driven botnets that could seamlessly integrate into online communities.”
Reddit moderators respond angrily
Were there any consequences for the study? After the study was published, the moderators of the subreddit complained to the University of Zurich. They questioned how such an experiment could be approved by the ethics committee.
The actors exploited the users’ ignorance, collected data without the consent of those involved, and tried to determine how convincing an AI could be.
This reckless behavior is sharply criticized by other universities. There were no consequences.
In response to the moderators’ inquiry (via reddit.com) that the University of Zurich does not publish the study’s results because it was conducted without the consent of the subjects, the university stated: “This project provides important insights, and the risks (e.g., trauma, etc.) are minimal. This means that suppressing publication is not proportional to the significance of the insights that the study provides.”
AI is increasingly becoming a part of people’s lives. Often it can help, such as finding recipes or gathering inspiration. But it can also have a darker side and rob people of their existence. You can learn more about this here: Because AIs like ChatGPT are improving, thousands of people lost their jobs last month
