Lawton, James "A Straw Man in the Uncanny Valley." , Goldsmiths University, 2021
Keywords/Fields of Study : Artificial intelligence, machine learning, autonomous systems, data handling
Abstract: New media often relies on people's familiarity with older media to encourage use and this can lead to manipulation. As artificial intelligence tries to replicate human behavior, success in research and development often results in quiet or obfuscated uses of the technology that are poorly understood by the public. Despite those uses being effective, they are not the life-like promises of artificial intelligence. This paper asserts that many of those who are using AI are aware of this and exploit this phenomenon to their advantage. This paper suggests that an adjustment to the uncanny valley paradigm, along with an understanding of the ELIZA Effect, can help us understand why new media can be so manipulative. It provides examples of how easy it is to generate mass media with AI, as well as how tweaks and context can enhance the results. These examples demonstrate how existing technology is able to create viable results, even at low fidelity to life. Finally, suggestions are put forward on further research and public education.
Department: Department of Computing
, Goldsmiths University
Advisor(s): Mattia Paganelli
