this post was submitted on 26 Oct 2026
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149
AI Chatbots Are Building an ‘Algorithmic Self-Portrait’ of You (gizmodo.com)
submitted 6 days ago by AcidiclyBasicGlitch@sh.itjust.works to c/technology@lemmy.world
34 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

In a prior study, the researchers had found that users were increasingly turning to chatbots like ChatGPT to get advice on sensitive topics like health, finance, mental health, and employment, so much so that it was “now becoming more like a social partner than just a tool,” lead author Abhisek Dash said.

Building upon that finding, this time around they also looked into what kinds of sensitive information get stored by the chatbot and just how. They found that 52% of the memory entries contained information about users’ psychological states, including their desires, intentions, emotions, and beliefs.

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[–] Buffalox@lemmy.world 9 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

Did you even read the article?

The AI memory then uses this to build a detailed profile of the user, a mechanism researchers in a study published earlier this year call “the algorithmic self-portrait.”

Well technically it's not even a portrait, it's what is commonly known as a profile, which is also clearly stated first. And it's definitely not a "self" profile either.
It's very Stupid language to use by the researchers.

[–] JustAnotherKay@lemmy.world -1 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I would argue that if you’re being pedantic about the language being used, then why are you implying anyone asked an AI to make a portrait of anyone?

Obviously, yes, it’s not a self-portrait by the dictionary definitions of “self” and “portrait” but people use “self-portrait” to refer to a description of a person all the time, particularly in settings where emotional intelligence is discussed.

Yes, I’m being pedantic, but so were you, so it feels fair game. But nothing in the article actually makes it seem as if a portrait is being illustrated other than the metaphorical portrait

[–] Buffalox@lemmy.world 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I would argue that if you’re being pedantic about the language being used, then why are you implying anyone asked an AI to make a portrait of anyone?

I didn't I just used the semantics of the article and headline. Obviously it's not a literal "portrait" you'd have to be pretty stupid to read it like that.

[–] JustAnotherKay@lemmy.world 0 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Asking an AI to make a portrait…

This phrase doesn’t imply that someone asked an AI to make a portrait?

[–] Buffalox@lemmy.world 1 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

Normally it would, but In accordance with the content of the article, the "portrait" is a semaphore.

Don't blame me, blame the researchers that thought it was a good idea to use this stupid wording for what is really profiling.