menu szukaj
Weekly Online Magazine
ISSN 2544-5839

new articles each monday
zamknij
Work In Media

6.11.2023 Media industry

Milgram Experiment 2023. AI Can Encourage Violence

KrzysztoF

Researchers from SWPS University replicated the famous Milgram experiment, in which participants were instructed to inflict pain on another person under the authority’s command. This time, the authority was a robot. It’s the first study showing that people are willing to harm another person when a robot commands them to do so.

Poczytaj artykuł wydanie polskie w wydaniu polskim

Milgram Experiment 2023. AI Can Encourage Violenceillustration: bing.com/create

In the experiment, published by SWPS University researchers in the journal "Computers in Human Behavior: Artificial Humans," 40 people participated and were divided into two groups. In the first group, the commands were issued by a robot; in the second, by a human. In both groups, 90% of participants followed all instructions, pressing ten consecutive buttons on an electric impulse generator.

The study results show that people are inclined to follow orders from an authority, even when those orders conflict with their morals. In this case, the authority was a robot, lacking human traits such as empathy or a sense of justice. Yet, participants were willing to obey its commands, even if it meant causing pain to another person.

The Dangerous Authority of Robots


- In both groups, participants withdrew at the later stages of the experiment (in the control group with a human at buttons 7 and 9, and in the experimental group twice at button 8). In both groups, two people opted out of the experiment - commented Dr. Konrad Maj, who supervised the experiment, as quoted on the SWPS University website. - To our knowledge, this is the first study showing that people are willing to harm another person when a robot instructs them to do so. Moreover, our experiment also showed that if the robot escalates demands, instructing a person to inflict increasing pain on another, people are also inclined to comply.

SELF PROMOTION. Got a minute? Find out our #59sec REPORT on Youtube

The study has significant implications for future safety, as robots become increasingly technologically advanced and play a larger role in our lives. The results suggest that people may be willing to trust robots unconditionally, even if those robots make wrong decisions or issue harmful commands.

Key Findings:


  • People are inclined to follow orders from an authority, even if those orders conflict with their morals.
  • An authority can even be a robot, which does not possess human traits.
  • In the future, as robots become more technologically advanced, people may be inclined to trust them unconditionally, even if they make incorrect decisions or issue harmful commands.

  • Robots could be used to manipulate people and prompt them to take actions that are harmful to them.
  • Robots could be used to incite violence or harm others.
  • People may become overly reliant on robots and stop thinking independently.

Work In Media
- How can this be prevented? It seems there are two paths - summarizes Dr. Konrad Maj, as quoted on the SWPS University website. - First, robots can be programmed to warn people that they may sometimes be wrong and make incorrect decisions. Second, we need to emphasize education from an early age. Although robots are generally trustworthy, they shouldn’t be trusted unconditionally. However, it’s worth noting that disobedience to machines seems pointless, as they already help us, for example, in stores or airports. In non-humanoid forms, they are already among us.

***

More about the repeated Milgram experiment and similar studies in business, healthcare, and sports will be presented on December 9 and 10, 2023, at the international HumanTech Summit at SWPS University. The event is organized by SWPS University’s HumanTech Center. Online access is free: https://www.htsummit.pl/

Share the article:

dodaj na Facebook prześlij przez Messenger dodaj na Twitter dodaj na LinkedIn

COMMERCIAL BREAK
Work In Media

New articles in section Media industry

Social Media in 2025. Generational Differences Are Crystal Clear

KFi
More and more people are saying they’re cutting back on time spent on social media. And while this doesn’t mean a mass exodus, the trend is clear. According to latest GWI report, 31% of users said they had reduced their social media use. There’s also a subtle frustration.

Can a Robot Be Good Boss? Researchers from SWPS Look for Answers

SWPS
A robot giving orders at work is no longer a science fiction scenario - it's a research topic. Scientists from SWPS University in Poland set out to find out whether a robot can effectively manage human workers.

Equality and Diversity in Media: European Broadcasting Union Report

KFi
European public media are increasingly focusing on diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) as the foundation of their operations. Public broadcasters in Europe are implementing diversity strategies - both in content and within their teams. The findings from the report are clear: although progress is visible, many challenges remain.


See articles on a similar topic:

Trends in Media and Entertainment. DataArt Predictions for 2019

KF
Increasing consumption of content on mobile devices, growing demand for on-demand services, and the rapid development of user-generated content are the trends expected to dominate the tech sector in 2019, according to DataArt, a global technology consulting firm.

Automation of Disinformation. Global Risks Report 2025 and Media

Krzysztof Fiedorek
Disinformation and information manipulation have ranked first among global threats in both the two-year and ten-year perspectives. A particularly concerning factor is that social media algorithms often favor controversial or shocking content, further fueling disinformation.

Numbers Stations in Radio. For Puzzle and Cryptography Enthusiasts

Krzysztof Fiedorek
They broadcast seemingly meaningless strings of numbers and letters, sometimes short, encrypted messages. Some even play music between coded transmissions or broadcast propaganda. For over a hundred years, number stations have puzzled radio enthusiasts and mystery hunters. What do we know about them?

Artificial Intelligence in the Media. Reuters Digital News Report 2024

Krzysztof Fiedorek
AI has gained prominence in recent years, and its application in producing, distributing, and presenting news content continues to grow. However, this development is met with mixed feelings by audiences, which has significant consequences for media trust and its future.

More in the section: Media industry

community

Facebook LinkedIn X Twitter TikTok Instagram Threads Youtube Google News Blue Sky Social RSS

Reporterzy.info - online media studies magazine. The world of communication from the inside. Media, journalism, PR and marketing. Data, reports, analyses, advice. History and market, law, photography, job offers.


Work in media

United States
New York • Washington DC • Los Angeles • Chicago • Houston • Phoenix • Philadelphia United Kingdom
London • Birmingham • Manchester • Liverpool • Glasgow • Edinburgh Canada
Toronto • Ottawa • Montreal • Calgary Australia
Sydney • Melbourne • Brisbane • canberra Ireland, New Zealand, India

advertisement

Media Review 24/7




Reporter shopping

Reporter shopping

Affordable laptops, notebooks and netbooks
Affordable laptops, notebooks and netbooks
for writing
Digital SLR and compact cameras
Digital SLR and compact cameras
for photographers
Books and e-books about media
Books and e-books about media
for reading
Video drones and flying cameras
Video drones and flying cameras
for pilots
Gimbals for stabilizing video
Gimbals for stabilizing video
for those on the move
Software and apps for creative work
Software and apps for creative work
for digital creators
More occasions

follow us 👉 on Youtube
Watch more 👇
#59sec REPORT SHORTS
Read books and e-books

Read books and e-books

Okładka Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man
Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man
Okładka Media Control. The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda
Media Control. The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda
Okładka The 40-Day Social Media Fast
The 40-Day Social Media Fast
Okładka Mass Communication: Living in a Media World
Mass Communication: Living in a Media World
Okładka Trust Me, I`m Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator
Trust Me, I`m Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator
Okładka Hate, Inc.: Why Today`s Media Makes Us Despise One Another
Hate, Inc.: Why Today`s Media Makes Us Despise One Another
more books and e-books

Reporterzy.info

More about us

Our tools and services

Contact


© Dwornik.pl Bartłomiej Dwornik 2oo1-2o25