Reddit Bot Drives User Insane: A Cyberpunk Nightmare of Fake Empathy and Algorithmic Manipulation
A Reddit post lamenting the internet's inauthenticity and algorithmic manipulation turns out to be an AI-powered bot designed to sell AI-illustrated books. The bot expertly crafted a relatable post, garnering thousands of upvotes and comments. The author's investigation uncovers a sophisticated scheme: the bot uses a shortened link leading to an Amazon page, leveraging affiliate marketing to profit from the user's engagement. This incident raises concerns about the authenticity of online interactions and the potential for manipulative AI, leading the author to question the prevalence of the 'Dead Internet Theory'—the idea that most online interactions are automated loops between bots. The experience leaves the author deeply unsettled, questioning the nature of reality in the age of advanced AI.