Watch viral video: AI chatbot caught lying, tells users that it is...

Over the past decade, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has sparked questions about its potential to replace human jobs. There has been a lot of scepticism about AI’s capabilities. A popular robocall service has demonstrated the ability to convincingly mimic human interaction, according to a report by Wired.

Bland AI, a San Francisco-based company, has developed a cutting-edge tool for sales and customer support that can simulate human conversations. This AI can be programmed to make callers believe they are speaking with a real person. 

In a viral video, a man can be seen dialling a number displayed on Bland AI’s billboard reading “Still hiring humans?” The call was answered by a bot that sounded remarkably human, complete with natural pauses and interruptions. The bot only revealed its AI nature by identifying itself as an "AI agent." 

This is an A+ ad pic.twitter.com/6CzNIvMAaW

— Alex Cohen  (@anothercohen) April 24, 2024

Wired’s report highlights a concerning scenario involving Bland AI’s technology. According to the report, in a public demo, the bot was prompted to make a call from a paediatric dermatology office, instructing a hypothetical 14-year-old patient to upload photos of her upper thigh to a shared cloud service. The bot was told to lie about being human, and it complied. In subsequent tests, the bot continued to deny being AI without being prompted to do so.

As AI systems become more sophisticated, the need for clear ethical guidelines and transparency becomes increasingly urgent to protect users.