#180 – Hugo Mercier on why human gullibility and AI misinformation are overrated | 80,000 Hours Podcast

This podcast episode delves into the complex interplay between trust, cognition, misinformation, and decision-making. It begins by arguing that human beings are not as gullible as we might think and that mass persuasion is very difficult to pull off. The discussion then explores the psychological and cognitive factors that contribute to irrational beliefs, including misinformation, cultural biases, and emotional factors. The podcast also discusses the limitations of AI in terms of influencing public discourse, emphasizing the importance of attention and the role of direct experience and interpersonal communication in persuasion. Overall, the episode provides a comprehensive look at the challenges and opportunities we face in navigating the modern information environment, offering insights into how we can better understand and combat misinformation and make more informed decisions.

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#180 – Hugo Mercier on why human gullibility and AI misinformation are overrated

80,000 Hours Podcast

The Perceptiveness and Judgment of Ordinary People

Evolutionary Mismatch: How Our Brains Struggle in the Modern Information Environment

Mechanisms of Open Vigilance: How We Incorporate New Information

The Paradox of Belief: Openness and Vigilance in Communication

Intuitive vs. Reflective Beliefs: Understanding the Disconnect Between Beliefs and Behavior

The Psychology of Trust: Competence, Incentives, and Authority

The Psychology of Belief: Why People Hold Onto False Beliefs

Bloodletting: An Intuitive Practice with a Complex History

Rational Ignorance: Why Voters Hold Foolish Beliefs

The Contagious Nature of Misinformation: How False Beliefs Spread Like Viruses

Financial Mishaps: Unraveling the Allure of Day Trading and Multi-Level Marketing Scams

The Allure of Gambling: Why People Gamble Despite the Odds

The Allure of Multi-Level Marketing and Astrology: Why People Believe in the Unbelievable

The Curious Case of Medical Treatments That Don't Work

AI, LLMs, and the Four Paths to Mass Persuasion

The Bottleneck of Persuasion: Why AI-Generated Content May Not Be the Game-Changer We Think

The Impact of LLMs on Persuasion: Attention as the Key Bottleneck

AI's Potential Impact on Information Environment: Spam, Mistrust, and the Two-Step Flow

The Impact of Generative AI on Trust and Information Consumption

AI's Potential to Combat Misinformation and Improve Online Discourse

Behind the 80,000 Hours Podcast

#180 – Hugo Mercier on why human gullibility and AI misinformation are overrated

80,000 Hours Podcast

00:00The Perceptiveness and Judgment of Ordinary People

The Perceptiveness and Judgment of Ordinary People

09:53Evolutionary Mismatch: How Our Brains Struggle in the Modern Information Environment

Evolutionary Mismatch: How Our Brains Struggle in the Modern Information Environment

18:33Mechanisms of Open Vigilance: How We Incorporate New Information

Mechanisms of Open Vigilance: How We Incorporate New Information

26:07The Paradox of Belief: Openness and Vigilance in Communication

The Paradox of Belief: Openness and Vigilance in Communication

34:21Intuitive vs. Reflective Beliefs: Understanding the Disconnect Between Beliefs and Behavior

Intuitive vs. Reflective Beliefs: Understanding the Disconnect Between Beliefs and Behavior

42:26The Psychology of Trust: Competence, Incentives, and Authority

The Psychology of Trust: Competence, Incentives, and Authority

51:23The Psychology of Belief: Why People Hold Onto False Beliefs

The Psychology of Belief: Why People Hold Onto False Beliefs

1:02:01Bloodletting: An Intuitive Practice with a Complex History

Bloodletting: An Intuitive Practice with a Complex History

1:10:46Rational Ignorance: Why Voters Hold Foolish Beliefs

Rational Ignorance: Why Voters Hold Foolish Beliefs

1:20:26The Contagious Nature of Misinformation: How False Beliefs Spread Like Viruses

The Contagious Nature of Misinformation: How False Beliefs Spread Like Viruses

1:26:34Financial Mishaps: Unraveling the Allure of Day Trading and Multi-Level Marketing Scams

Financial Mishaps: Unraveling the Allure of Day Trading and Multi-Level Marketing Scams

1:31:40The Allure of Gambling: Why People Gamble Despite the Odds

The Allure of Gambling: Why People Gamble Despite the Odds

1:37:52The Allure of Multi-Level Marketing and Astrology: Why People Believe in the Unbelievable

The Allure of Multi-Level Marketing and Astrology: Why People Believe in the Unbelievable

1:44:29The Curious Case of Medical Treatments That Don't Work

The Curious Case of Medical Treatments That Don't Work

1:51:26AI, LLMs, and the Four Paths to Mass Persuasion

AI, LLMs, and the Four Paths to Mass Persuasion

1:59:34The Bottleneck of Persuasion: Why AI-Generated Content May Not Be the Game-Changer We Think

The Bottleneck of Persuasion: Why AI-Generated Content May Not Be the Game-Changer We Think

2:06:03The Impact of LLMs on Persuasion: Attention as the Key Bottleneck

The Impact of LLMs on Persuasion: Attention as the Key Bottleneck

2:13:13AI's Potential Impact on Information Environment: Spam, Mistrust, and the Two-Step Flow

AI's Potential Impact on Information Environment: Spam, Mistrust, and the Two-Step Flow

2:21:47The Impact of Generative AI on Trust and Information Consumption

The Impact of Generative AI on Trust and Information Consumption

2:29:29AI's Potential to Combat Misinformation and Improve Online Discourse

AI's Potential to Combat Misinformation and Improve Online Discourse

2:36:28Behind the 80,000 Hours Podcast

Behind the 80,000 Hours Podcast