New Delhi

A recent study reveals that robots can lie and deceive much like humans, shedding light on how new technologies, such as generative AI, can manipulate users. Researchers from George Mason University aimed to explore robot ethics and public mistrust towards emerging tech. They surveyed nearly 500 participants to evaluate various forms of robot deception.

Lead author Andres Rosero, a doctoral candidate, emphasized concerns over technologies that conceal their true nature, potentially leading to unintended user manipulation. He pointed out that we’ve already seen AI chatbots and web design techniques used to mislead users and called for regulation to prevent such misuse.

The study, published in ‘Frontiers in Robotics and AI’, identified three types of robot deception: external, hidden, and superficial. Participants generally disapproved of hidden and superficial deceptions, like a robot pretending to feel pain. The researchers suggest that further studies with realistic scenarios are needed to validate these findings.