I don’t know. I asked chatgpt where I can get the most calories for my money when eating fast food, tempered by the qualification that the food is delicious. It very confidently and without any wishy washiness told me I should go to Wendy’s and get a burger. I highly doubt this is actually the best answer to my question, but I bet lots of people are asking similar questions. It made me actually think about going to Wendy’s. It read like an ad, in some ways, but some part of me took it in and tried to believe it because it felt much more similar to a recommendation from a friend (which I would for sure listen to) than an ad (which I almost always tune out—the louder and more obnoxious the stronger I look away).

Heh, I would argue at that point you're asking to be advertised to. I would never ask an AI for product recommendations even without perverse incentives because who the hell knows why it says what it does.

Yeah. You’re probably right.

astroturf abounds in text online. Sometimes its very obvious, sometimes not. I don't doubt it'd be effective, especially as people grow increasing dependent on AI and their ability to think and reason for themselves decline. There's concern that's already happening to people who use AI as it is and I doubt targeted, purposeful manipulation of the masses in exchange for cash will help that any.

> Subtle product placement and propaganda is not easy in text

Reddit.

I'm sure you have a point here, but I have no clue what you're referring to. Reddit is indeed a very astroturfed place but you typically opt into it by joining a subreddit that actively caters to discussion of products or discussion of politics—not exactly what I would refer to as "subtle".

And if someone is using an LLM for either topic, my sympathy goes out the window. Same as with reddit. E.g. if you take the discourse on /r/worldnews seriously, you deserve to be propagandized.