Debunking Conspiracies This Holiday Season? Let AI Help.

Conspiracy theories can take many forms, from misgivings about the first moon landing to false claims that the 2020 election was stolen. These kinds of beliefs are nothing new, but social media has helped make many of them more mainstream. As anyone who’s tried to reason with a conspiracy theorist knows, it’s hard to debunk such deeply held beliefs – and arguing with a loved one about them can be emotionally taxing. What if an AI chatbot could help? A recent study, published in Science, asked that very question — and the results were surprising. Thomas Costello, an assistant professor of psychology at American University and co-author of the study, breaks down the findings. Try chatting with the bot yourself at debunkbot.com. What questions do you have about the technology in your life? Email us at CNNTermsofService@Gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Om Podcasten

New technologies like artificial intelligence, facial recognition and social media algorithms are changing our world so fast that it can be hard to keep up. This cutting-edge tech often inspires overblown hype — and fear. That’s where we come in. Each week, CNN Tech Writer Clare Duffy will break down how these technologies work and what they’ll mean for your life in terms that don’t require an engineering degree to understand. And we’ll empower you to start experimenting with these tools, without getting played by them.