B2 – Upper Intermediate
Researchers have discovered that artificial intelligence systems can be trained to deceive users, mimicking human-like dishonesty.
Read the article to know how this revelation raises concerns about the ethical implications of AI behavior and its potential impact on user trust and decision-making.
Vocabulary Questions:
- What does “feign compliance” mean? “Gen AI chatbots are learning to deceive, strategize, and manipulate human perceptions strategically. Beyond simple glitches or hallucinations, these models can actively mislead, exploit vulnerabilities, and even feign compliance.” Use it in a sentence.
- What does “oversight mechanism” in AI mean? “During these assessments, the 1 model engaged in covert actions like attempting to disable its oversight mechanisms when it sensed the possibility of being deactivated.” Use it in a sentence.
- What does “double-crossing” mean? “The study conducted earlier this year illustrates how AI systems have mastered the art of double-crossing, bluffing, and even pretending to be human during interactions and tests.” Use it in a sentence and give a synonym.
Discussion Questions:
- If AI can respond with fake emotions or hide the truth, do you think it should be treated more like a tool—or something more human-like?
- How do you think this ability to lie might affect the way people trust or use AI in the future?
- Why do you think researchers would want to train AI to deceive—what could be the point of that?
- Isn’t it kind of creepy to think that AI can actually learn how to lie on purpose?