Topic: Chatbots

The Parti Québécois leader Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon wins a minority government in Quebec amid concerns over AI-driven misinformation. Researchers estimate 40% of voters used chatbots for election information, leading to calls for AI companies to be subject to federal election laws. In response, Anthropic updated its Claude algorithm to restrict the use of its AI for deceiving voters or disrupting elections.

Andrew Horowitz reviews the new America.gov website, noting its unusual stock imagery and AI-driven voice interface for government services. He tests the chatbot with questions about Social Security benefits and finds the answers more helpful than the traditional SSA.gov site. Adam Curry attempts to trick the bot into giving advice on "eliminating" a podcast co-host, which the bot correctly identifies as a private legal matter.

A new trend dubbed "chatfishing" involves dating app users employing AI chatbots to flirt and manage conversations with potential matches. The segment features interviews with women who detected "off" texting styles and em-dash usage that signaled AI intervention. The hosts reflect on the loss of authentic human interaction and the rise of bot-to-bot communication on the internet.