We have a Problem Here Folks. AI imitating humans here in this place.

When I first joined this site during my teens bots weren't an issue like they are now. It happened but infrequently. Trolls were more of a problem but even they weren't regularly upsetting the atmosphere.

Ai has become an anxiety for me. Why not? It can join the looonnnggg list with all my other anxieties...I don't like ai because it's an unknown quantity. You literally don't know where you stand with it and to me that's worrying. There's good sides but online it's completely out of control. I read that there's even talk of ai having rights. What!? 

Makes no sense to me.

Luckily there's always signs of when you're talking to a bot online but the more ai develops the more 'human' they are. It's horrible.

That's wonderful. You deserve that. 

Thank you. I already have, a place of friendship and comfort, I've been looking for such a place for a long time. Feel almost at peace now I've found it.

Definitely. I hope you get what you want out of it. 

It is a shame. I'm glad this community exists though, it's a safe space where we can be ourselves.

Even in pro autism communities, it was far too toxic, polarised and hostile. It's a shame really. 

I had to leave both Facebook and Twitter in the end. I found both really hostile environments to be and very anti autism by a lot of people.

I'm much happier on here.

Yeah, I've been cautious about sharing too much identifying information for a multitude of reasons. 

Mainly cos I used to be on Twitter and over shared to the point it caused problems. 

TheCatWoman said:

I don't think I've filled out a profile bio

I filled one out but it's only short. I wasn't going to at first, I felt uncomfortable over sharing personal info and also, I find it difficult to explain about myself.

I remember at school how awkward I felt when on the first day the teacher would be like tell us about yourself or what did you do on the weekend. It was always so awkward because my brain froze and I didn't know what to say.

Short and to the point works best for me 

I don't think I've filled out a profile bio.

There are lots of people who can only speak about one or two things.

Bot's and general trolling do annoy me though, sometimes you can tell if someone/thing is a bot by using key words, usually political and see if they bite, often you only need a one word post.

I think it's used by a lot of young people. Or it is on other forums I'm on anyway.

NP. I thought I'd say just in case some people don't know some of the signs.

blank space said:

Forum puppets

I hadn't heard that term before.

Thank you for your analysis.

Ian said:

I don't take any of the views posted here at face value, I want to be able to assess the credibility of the writer. This is even more critical with the emergence of AI and bots.

I have tended to take the posts at face value (apart from the really obvious bots) but with recent events on the forum, including posters who seem to be deliberately agitating, I've become less confident, which is a shame.

Homebird said:

I wonder if people being asked to create a user name would work as I tend to be dubious of the NA.... names.

I wonder if that's so ... I don't know what AI/bots can achieve nowadays.

I doubt somehow that creating a forum name would be beyond them, sadly.

Pegg said:

I am in two minds whether to continue here or not. 

That's a shame but understandable.

It would be particularly sad if you (or anyone) were driven away by AI

I have always queried anonymity. I respect that sometimes people post on sensitive, personal topics and may not wish to reveal their identity, but equally I feel it helps to know that you are dealing with a real person. Anyone here can find my identity using the information in my profile and about three mouse clicks. I don't take any of the views posted here at face value, I want to be able to assess the credibility of the writer. This is even more critical with the emergence of AI and bots.

Bot accounts are such a familiar complaint in the online world now. As technology continues to advance the bots are becoming more of a problem.

Usually if an account online is a bot they will: 

• Only write short sentences.
• Post just once or twice then never return.
• Post links.
• Stick to one subject and be unable to talk about something else.
• Reply quicker than a human generally could. 
• Not fill out their profile bio.
• When asked for more details about themselves be unable to answer
• Usually writes without separating their text.

All of the above is generally a red flag. Although I'm still not sure about fast replies as some people are just fast at replying. My WPM is v fast.

Forum puppets are a more common occurrence these days all across the internet. Usually it's trolls trying to discuss something that easily gets heated, baiting people in. Though not always... Like with bots though I just ignore them.

I wonder if people being asked to create a user name would work as I tend to be dubious of the NA.... names.

Debbie said:

We seem to be inundated with bots at the moment

Yes, 

Also trolls, and the usual 'rinse and repeat' profiles. 

It's hard to tell whether those originate from an actual human or are actually copybots.

If you want a public forum populated by genuine humans, all that activity acts to undermine confidence.

I am in two minds whether to continue here or not. 

I don't know. At least though, those two minds are my own, born of human quandary. 

It isn't possible to stop AI from being here.  I have already encountered a human operator using AI to conduct their own exchange with me (and others)....until they didn't and the operator (a young and far less accomplished spirit) emerged from behind the AI use to show their grotesque and tortured human soul.

I found this experience sad, but interestingly educative.  I suspect others could find such an experience rather upsetting or alarming.  I'm more cautious with my goodwill these days.  Accordingly, I'm all for measures to try and keep our exchanges as AI free as possible.....but probably in vain for the most part.

Tea and biscuits with each other in a field, under a tarpulin = the emerging sure-fire and secure way to properly converse together....as actual humans?  Are we becoming like cows, or like refugees?

---

On a different by linked tangent.....I suspect the "roving bots" will pick up some of my words above and be attracted to this place, in order to sow division and discord amongst us?  We have developed a web and allowed ourselves to get caught up in it.   I was in two minds as to whether to use some of the words above for this reason......but then again, I do love to experiment....and I am the OP, so F I.