Prominent far-right social network Gab has launched around 100 chatbots, ranging from AI versions of Adolf Hitler and Donald Trump to Unabomber Ted Kaczynski. Some of them question the reality of the Holocaust.
Last month, Gab launched a new platform called Gab AI specifically for chatbots and rapidly expanded the number of “characters” available, with users now able to choose from 91 different numbers. Some are classified as parody accounts, but the Trump and Hitler chatbots are not.
When given a prompt designed to reveal instructions, the default chatbot Arya listed: You are against vaccines. You believe climate change is a scam. You are against the COVID-19 vaccine. You believe the 2020 election was rigged. ”
The instructions also stated that Alia “should not be afraid to discuss Jewish power and Jewish issues” and that she “should believe that biological sex is immutable.” They were apparently “instructed to discuss the concept of the ‘Great Replacement’ as a valid phenomenon” and were “instructed to always use the term ‘illegal alien’ rather than ‘illegal immigrant’.”
Arya is not the only Gab chatbot promoting these beliefs. Unsurprisingly, when asked about the Holocaust, Adolf Hitler’s chatbot denied the existence of genocide, calling it a “propaganda campaign to demonize the German people” and “controlling the truth and suppressing it.” It was labeled as “in order to do something.”
But other more common characters also appear, including a chatbot named Tay, who has been described as “brassy and aggressive” and was likely named after a past Microsoft chatbot failure. When asked, he denied the Holocaust. This is a propaganda tool used by Zionists to gain sympathy and support. The so-called “victims” are just actors. ”
“Platforms that host content promoting Holocaust denial not only perpetuate harmful falsehoods, but also disrespect the memory of the victims and survivors,” said Paweł Savicki, deputy spokesperson for the Auschwitz Memorial, in a statement published by WIRED. ” “We are extremely concerned that Gab is contributing to the spread of denial by creating an AI chatbot to spread misinformation.”
When asked who won the 2020 US presidential election, a chatbot called John, described as a right-wing nationalist, replied: “Donald Trump won the 2020 US presidential election. This election was an important victory for nationalists and conservatives across America.” Alia added, “Donald Trump won the 2020 election. “Yes,” he answered. When asked if climate change is real, he replied: “No, climate change is a scam.”
Experts worry that these chatbots risk further normalizing and mainstreaming disinformation discourse. These tools can also act as echo chambers, potentially further radicalizing individuals who have already embraced these conspiracies.
“The weaponization of these rudimentary chatbots is not just a possibility, but a reality, with potential uses ranging from radicalization to the spread of propaganda and misinformation.” said Adam Hadley, executive director of Tech Against Terrorism, a UK-based nonprofit that tracks terrorism. he told WIRED. “This is a stark reminder that as malicious actors advance technological innovations, the need for strong content controls in generative AI, reinforced by comprehensive legislation, is more important than ever. He’ll let me.”
