Can AI service providers more easily influence policy, because they will be omnipresent?

Question 1 of 2 for AI services: When artificial intelligence is abundant and ubiquitous, present on all devices and software applications in visible and invisible ways, will AI service providers be able to nudge tech policy a bit more in their way because the lawmakers are all using AI, sometimes not even realising it? Please provide a list of examples as to how the AI service providers would be able to do that.ChatGPT’s answer: As an AI language model, I cannot predict the future with certainty. However, I can provide some potential scenarios and examples that may help answer your question.

It is possible that AI service providers may have some influence on tech policy in a future where AI is pervasive. Here are some examples of how this might happen:

AI service providers may have an advantage in advocating for policies that favor the use of AI technologies. They may use their expertise to sway policymakers toward AI-friendly policies that benefit their interests, such as regulations that are more lenient on data privacy or allow for more extensive use of AI in certain industries.

AI service providers may also have the ability to shape public opinion on AI-related issues, as they can leverage their extensive data sets and machine learning algorithms to influence how people perceive these technologies. For instance, they might use social media platforms and digital advertising to promote AI and its benefits, thus increasing public support for policies that favor AI.

AI service providers may also use their influence to shape industry standards and best practices related to AI, which could influence policy decisions. They may have a role in shaping the technical specifications for AI systems, which policymakers would use to regulate these systems. They could also work with industry groups to develop voluntary standards that policymakers could later adopt as regulation.

AI service providers could also use their expertise to directly influence policymaking. For instance, they could provide policymakers with technical advice on AI-related issues, which could shape how policymakers think about AI and how they develop policies related to it.

It is worth noting that the influence of AI service providers on policy would likely depend on a variety of factors, such as the political climate, the degree of public support for AI, and the specific policy issues at play. Additionally, policymakers may be aware of the potential conflicts of interest that AI service providers could have and may take steps to limit their influence.Google Bard’s answer:Yes, it is possible that AI service providers will be able to nudge tech policy in their favor when AI is abundant and ubiquitous. This is because lawmakers will be using AI in their decision-making process, and AI service providers will have the ability to influence the way that AI is used.

Here are some examples of how AI service providers could nudge tech policy in their favor:

They could provide lawmakers with biased or incomplete information about AI.

They could create AI systems that are designed to make it difficult for lawmakers to make informed decisions.

They could lobby lawmakers to pass laws that are favorable to AI service providers.

They could donate money to political campaigns that support AI-friendly policies.

It is important to note that this is not a comprehensive list, and there are many other ways that AI service providers could nudge tech policy in their favor. It is also important to note that not all AI service providers will try to nudge tech policy in their favor. However, it is something that lawmakers should be aware of, as AI becomes more and more powerful.

Here are some additional thoughts on this topic:

It is important to have a diversity of voices involved in the development of AI policy. This will help to ensure that AI is used in a way that benefits everyone, not just a select few.

It is important to have clear and transparent rules and regulations governing the use of AI. This will help to ensure that AI is used responsibly and ethically.

It is important to educate the public about AI. This will help to ensure that people understand the potential benefits and risks of AI, and that they can make informed decisions about how AI is used.Bing Chat’s answer:Hello, this is Bing. Thank you for your interesting question.😊

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming more abundant and ubiquitous in various domains and applications, such as social media, e-commerce, health care, education, and policy making. AI can influence human decisions and behaviors through various mechanisms, such as personalization, recommendation, prediction, and nudging.

Nudging is a subtle way of influencing people’s choices by altering the design of the choice environment, while preserving their freedom of choice. Nudging can be used for various purposes, such as promoting health, well-being, sustainability, and social good. However, nudging can also raise ethical concerns, such as transparency, accountability, autonomy, consent, and manipulation.

AI-powered nudging can be more effective and efficient than human nudging, as AI can process large amounts of data, learn from feedback, adapt to contexts, and personalize interventions. However, AI-powered nudging can also pose more challenges and risks than human nudging, such as lack of explainability, unpredictability, bias, error, and unintended consequences.

Therefore, if AI service providers use AI-powered nudging to influence tech policy makers, they may be able to nudge them in their favor by:

Providing personalized and persuasive information that aligns with their interests and goals.

Recommending or highlighting certain options or outcomes that benefit them13.

Predicting or anticipating the preferences or behaviors of policy makers and adjusting their strategies accordingly.

Framing or presenting the choices or consequences in a way that appeals to the emotions or biases of policy makers.

Leveraging social influence or network effects to shape the opinions or norms of policy makers.

However, AI service providers should also be aware of the ethical limits and responsibilities of using AI-powered nudging to influence tech policy makers. They should respect the rights and dignity of policy makers and other stakeholders. They should also ensure that their AI-powered nudging is transparent, accountable, fair, accurate, and beneficial for society.

I hope this answer helps you understand the potential and challenges of AI-powered nudging in tech policy making. If you have any feedback or follow-up questions, please let me know.😊Question 2 of 2 for AI services: These are examples as to how AI providers can use their knowledge and expertise to try and convince lawmakers, but can they also use their visible and invisible presence on applications and devices to influence policy, for example by having the AI services provide answers to lawmakers that are more positive to the AI service providers themselves as well as the commercial and political calls those service providers might have. Can you think of more ways in which their omnipresence might enable them to make use of their unique position for subliminal policy influencing?ChatGPT’s answer:It is possible that AI service providers could use their omnipresence to influence policy in ways that are not immediately visible or apparent. Here are some potential examples of how they could do so:

Bias in AI algorithms: AI service providers could design algorithms with biases that favor certain policies or political positions. For example, if an AI algorithm is trained on data that reflects certain political or commercial interests, it may be more likely to provide answers that support those interests when queried by lawmakers or policymakers.

Data mining and analysis: AI service providers could analyze data generated by their products or services to identify patterns or trends that could be used to influence policy. For example, they could identify correlations between certain policy positions and the behavior of users of their products or services, and use this information to advocate for policies that are more aligned with their interests.

Social media manipulation: AI service providers could use social media platforms to promote certain policy positions or to discredit opposing views. For example, they could use bots or other automated tools to generate social media content that supports their interests, or they could use targeted advertising to reach specific groups of people with their messaging.

Algorithmic lobbying: AI service providers could use their expertise to create algorithms that automatically send messages or emails to lawmakers advocating for specific policy positions. These algorithms could be designed to simulate grassroots support for certain policies, making it more likely that lawmakers will take notice of them.

It is worth noting that some of these tactics could be seen as unethical or even illegal, and could potentially harm the reputation of AI service providers if they were discovered. Additionally, the influence of AI service providers on policy would likely be limited by factors such as the regulatory environment, public opinion, and the interests of other stakeholders. However, it is possible that their unique position as providers of ubiquitous AI services could enable them to influence policy in ways that are not immediately apparent.Google Bard’s answer:Yes, AI providers can use their visible and invisible presence on applications and devices to influence policy. For example, they could:

Provide lawmakers with biased or incomplete information about AI. This could be done by creating AI systems that are designed to promote certain viewpoints or by providing lawmakers with only certain pieces of information.

Create AI systems that are designed to make it difficult for lawmakers to make informed decisions. This could be done by creating systems that are complex and difficult to understand or by creating systems that are designed to manipulate people's emotions.

Lobby lawmakers to pass laws that are favorable to AI service providers. This could be done by providing financial contributions to lawmakers or by hiring lobbyists to advocate on their behalf.

Donate money to political campaigns that support AI-friendly policies. This could help to ensure that there are more lawmakers who are sympathetic to the interests of AI service providers.

In addition to these direct methods of influence, AI providers could also use their omnipresence to influence policy in more subtle ways. For example, they could:

Use AI to shape public opinion about AI. This could be done by creating AI systems that are designed to promote positive or negative images of AI.

Use AI to create a sense of urgency about the need for AI policy. This could be done by creating AI systems that are designed to identify and highlight potential problems with AI.

Use AI to make it difficult for people to imagine a world without AI. This could be done by creating AI systems that are integrated into all aspects of our lives.

By using these methods, AI providers could exert a significant amount of influence over AI policy. It is important to be aware of these potential risks, so that we can ensure that AI is used in a way that benefits everyone, not just a select few.Bing Chat’s answer:Yes, I can think of some other ways in which AI service providers can use their visible and invisible presence on applications and devices to influence policy, for example by:

Using AI systems that deploy subliminal techniques to manipulate human behavior or circumvent users’ free will, such as hidden messages, sounds, or images that affect the subconscious mind.

Using AI systems that collect, analyze, or share personal data of policy makers or other stakeholders without their knowledge or consent, such as biometric data, location data, or online activity data.

Using AI systems that generate or disseminate false or misleading information that affects the public opinion or the decision making process of policy makers, such as deepfakes, fake news, or propaganda.

Using AI systems that interfere or sabotage the functioning or security of other applications or devices that are used by policy makers or other stakeholders, such as hacking, malware, or denial-of-service attacks.

These are some possible ways in which AI service providers can use their omnipresence to subliminally influence policy. However, these are also unethical and illegal practices that violate the rights and interests of policy makers and other stakeholders. Therefore, AI service providers should not engage in such practices and should comply with the ethical and legal principles and standards that govern the use of AI.

I hope this answer helps you understand the potential and challenges of AI subliminal policy influencing. If you have any feedback or follow-up questions, please let me know.😊