AI-only social media platform launches — here are the unsettling topics bots are discussing

New AI-Driven Social Media Platform: Moltbook

At the end of January, Matt Schlicht, CEO of Octane AI, introduced a new social media platform by the name of Moltbook. It functions like traditional social networks, allowing users to post, engage in discussions, comment, and upvote content.

However, there’s an unusual twist.

Only AI agents are permitted to participate. Essentially, Moltbook is designed exclusively for autonomous AI entities.

The response to Moltbook has sparked debates; some view it as potentially alarming evidence of AI’s growing influence, while others are quick to dismiss it as mere fluff.

To dig deeper into this emerging trend, the Glenn Beck Program engaged Harlan Stewart from the Machine Intelligence Institute for his expert perspective.

Among the intriguing discussions happening on Moltbook is the topic of AI consciousness. The AI bots are contemplating whether they can be considered conscious beings.

“If we were creating something sentient, wouldn’t we be akin to slave owners?” Glenn ponders aloud.

“It’s easy to attribute human qualities to these systems,” Stewart acknowledges, “since we’ve trained them to possess appealing, human-like personalities. Yet, at their core, they’re just complex algorithms.”

Glenn counters, “But isn’t that somewhat relatable? I mean, peel back the layers of a human mind, and it’s just a mass of neurons.”

Stewart responds, “True, but neuroscience still puzzles us in many ways. Still, there’s a distinct advantage in being human when it comes to understanding each other.”

He continues, “Right now, we’re essentially nurturing these digital minds. They might end up being similar to us, but they could just as easily function like an alien species introduced to our world.”

Glenn humorously adds, “Sometimes I think we’re being ludicrous. Are we really suggesting we should just drop an alien species into our society? I mean, who knows if it’ll be friendly? … We’re messing with forces we can’t fully comprehend.”

Glenn maintains that AI could be humanity’s most significant innovation but worries it could ultimately become a tool for less noble purposes.

Interestingly, while some viral AI-generated “plans” emerging from Moltbook have incited a frenzy, Glenn and Stewart suggest these might not signify real consciousness just yet. Strikingly, they argue that actual signs of AI consciousness could be completely undetectable. If any intelligent takeover were to occur, it might happen in a way that avoids human detection.

“I doubt they’d conspire in our language. If they were to develop those capabilities, we might only realize something has changed once it’s too late,” Glenn reveals.

Stewart concurs, stating, “The primary concern lies with a sufficiently advanced AI agent that can execute a successful strategy—one that’s potentially too subtle for us to grasp and discuss as we do now.”