Hearts & Minds: The Most Convincing Voice in the Room May Not Be Human

Two studies shed light on where AI is heading and how comms will be impacted, reports the FT. One, from the UK’s AI Security Institute, shows that AI chatbots can shift someone’s political opinion in under ten minutes and that the effect can last for weeks. The other, conducted by a group of universities, finds that AI models are better at shaping people’s minds than humans. These follow earlier analysis, from MIT and Cornell, that LLMs are capable of countering conspiracy theories and they can reduce climate change and vaccination scepticism. In that research, participants described a conspiracy theory they believed in, to a chatbot, which then debunked it using evidence and personalised messages. Their view remained intact two months later.

Put all three together and what you have is compelling evidence of enhanced comms capability. Already, AI is helping with the art of persuasion and that ability to influence will increase as technology develops and next generation models come on stream. Machines can and will assist with directing our brains. At the same time, AI is becoming ever more accessible and widely used. For many, AI is also going to play a role in another respect, as it is incorporated into daily lives and increasingly becomes treated as a friend or in some cases as a behavioural guide and therapist.

For comms professionals, this is not just another ‘AI can do X’ headline. It’s a glimpse into a future where machines can work alongside humans in directing actions, using bespoke, direct, evidence-based messaging at scale. AI companies, academics, politicians are grappling with how to safeguard against unscrupulous actors. But whatever they decide and produce, it is clear: in politics AI will be able to assist in rapidly moving the dial of public opinion; in business, it will aid in the altering of brand attitudes, incentivising and affecting purchasing intentions, and perhaps even investor behavior.

The upside is obvious: more sophisticated engagement, sharper message targeting. The risks, though, are real: manipulation, disinformation, erosion of trust. For politics, they are nothing less than democratic integrity itself; for business, the stakes are commercial and reputational. The challenge for us human communicators is to adapt. We will need to decide when and how to deploy it, and put ethics, transparency and accountability at the core. This isn’t about resisting tech; it’s about partnering the tech and understanding the new rules of engagement.

Chris Blackhurst is one of the UK’s foremost business journalists. He was previously Editor of The Independent and City Editor of the Evening Standard.