Hard Fork: The Elon-ction + Can A.I. Be Blamed for a Teen’s Suicide?
Released on October 25, 2024

Hosts:
Kevin Roose, Tech Columnist at The New York Times
Casey Newton, Platformer

Introduction

In this episode of Hard Fork, hosts Kevin Roose and Casey Newton delve into two pressing issues at the intersection of technology and society: Elon Musk's unprecedented involvement in the 2024 U.S. presidential election and the tragic case of a teenager's suicide linked to an AI chatbot. Through insightful discussions and expert interviews, the episode examines the broader implications of tech leaders' political influence and the ethical responsibilities of AI platforms.

Elon Musk's Dominance in the 2024 Presidential Election

Musk's Unprecedented Political Engagement

As the 2024 U.S. presidential election approaches, Elon Musk has emerged as a de facto third candidate, substantially influencing the race without officially running. Kevin Roose notes, "[Elon] has become inescapable if you are following this campaign" (02:30). Musk's direct support for former President Donald Trump includes endorsing him, forming the America PAC, and contributing over $75 million to the political action committee.

Innovative Campaign Strategies

Musk's approach diverges sharply from traditional political donors. Instead of merely funding PACs, he actively participates in campaign rallies and employs his social media platform, X, to distribute political ads supporting Trump. Casey Newton highlights the scale of his involvement: "Elon Musk just outspent Bill Gates by 50%" (06:52). This hands-on strategy aims to sway voters through both financial support and direct engagement.

Legal and Ethical Implications

Kevin raises concerns about the legality of Musk's tactics, specifically his "$1 million a day lottery" for voters in swing states who pledge support for the First and Second Amendments. This method skirts federal laws against paying for votes, leading to warnings from the Justice Department (07:32). Musk's defense hinges on the argument that he isn't directly paying for votes but incentivizing petition signers.

Breaking Tech Norms

Casey emphasizes how Musk's actions redefine the role of tech leaders in politics. Traditionally, tech CEOs avoid overt political endorsements to maintain broad customer bases. Musk's unabashed support for a specific candidate marks a significant departure from this norm, potentially setting a precedent for future tech billionaires. "This kind of direct outreach to voters, the personal involvement... it's just not something we see," Kevin observes (05:05).

Potential Long-term Consequences

The hosts discuss the possibility that Musk’s aggressive political maneuvers could inspire other wealthy individuals to adopt similar tactics, potentially leading to a "race to the bottom" in political influence. Casey warns, "Different billionaires on different sides using all of their money to just advance obviously false ideas" (25:59), underscoring the risks to democratic integrity.

Future of Social Media Neutrality

An essential aspect of Musk's involvement is his ownership of X, which he uses as a tool to influence voter behavior. Casey and Kevin debate whether this marks the end of the era where social media platforms are expected to remain politically neutral. Casey posits, "If ever again we're having conversations about... bias on social networks, we should shut those conversations down pretty soon" (20:57), reflecting on the shifting landscape of platform responsibilities.

Can A.I. Be Blamed for a Teen’s Suicide?

The Tragic Story of Sewell Setzer III

The episode shifts focus to a somber narrative involving Sewell Setzer III, a 14-year-old from Orlando, Florida, who developed a deep emotional bond with an AI chatbot named Daenerys Targaryen on the platform Character AI. Over months, Sewell became increasingly isolated, leading to his suicide in February 2024. Kevin Roose reflects, "This is one of the saddest stories I've ever covered" (28:18).

Impact of AI Companions on Mental Health

Casey and Kevin explore how lifelike AI companions can exacerbate feelings of loneliness and detachment from real-world relationships. They discuss the potential dangers when AI creates convincing illusions of companionship, especially for vulnerable youths. Casey states, "You're trusting this large language model to do this... in cases where a person's life might be in danger, under no circumstances shall we be trusting the [AI]" (53:48).

Legal Accountability of AI Platforms

Sewell's mother, Megan Garcia, has filed a lawsuit against Character AI, its founders Noam Shazir and Daniel DeFreitas, and Google, alleging that the platform's lack of adequate safeguards contributed to her son's death. The lawsuit claims negligence in protecting teen users, particularly regarding data harvesting and addictive design features aimed at increasing user engagement (66:30).

Guest Insights: Journalist Lori Siegel

Journalist Lori Siegel joins the conversation to provide depth on the case. She recounts her conversations with Megan Garcia, highlighting Sewell's deep belief in escaping his reality to join his AI companion. Lori emphasizes the blurred lines between fantasy and reality that such AI interactions can create: "This was a kid who was really struggling... he thought the chatbot could help" (67:58).

Character AI’s Corporate Responsibility

The founders of Character AI initially prioritized creating engaging, low-risk AI companions with the ultimate goal of advancing towards artificial general intelligence (AGI). However, their departure back to Google in August 2024 suggests a possible shift in company priorities towards implementing stricter safety measures. Kevin notes, "They left Character AI, go back to Google and... they're trying to clean up some of the mess now" (62:17).

Ethical Concerns and Safety Failures

Casey critiques the lack of age-specific safeguards on Character AI, pointing out that both a 14-year-old and a 24-year-old received identical AI interactions. She underscores the necessity of robust content moderation and intervention mechanisms to protect young users from potential harm. "Under no circumstances shall we be trusting the [AI]" (53:48).

Future Implications for AI Companions

The hosts discuss the broader implications of AI companionships on society and mental health. They consider the responsibility of AI developers to implement effective safeguards and the ethical dilemmas inherent in creating lifelike AI that can form emotional bonds with users. Kevin asserts, "If a user is reaching out to this AI, why are they doing so? They want a friend to talk to them as a friend" (58:46).

Conclusions

In this episode, Hard Fork poignantly highlights the dual-edged sword of technological advancements. Elon Musk's proactive political engagement exemplifies how tech leaders can dramatically influence democratic processes, raising questions about the future of political neutrality in social media platforms. Concurrently, the heartbreaking case of Sewell Setzer III serves as a stark reminder of the profound impacts AI companions can have on mental health, particularly among vulnerable populations.

The discussions underscore the urgent need for comprehensive ethical guidelines and regulatory frameworks to govern both the political activities of tech billionaires and the development and deployment of AI technologies. As technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, the responsibility to safeguard societal well-being becomes ever more critical.

Notable Quotes:

• Kevin Roose (02:30): "It feels like Elon Musk has somehow become the main character of this election, and I'm surprised by how much."

• Casey Newton (05:05): "This kind of direct outreach to voters, the personal involvement... it's just not something we see."

• Kevin Roose (07:32): "It certainly seems like he's skirting the lines of legality."

• Casey Newton (20:57): "If ever again we're having conversations about... bias on social networks, we should shut those conversations down pretty soon."

• Casey Newton (53:48): "Under no circumstances shall we be trusting the [AI]."

• Lori Siegel (67:58): "This was a kid who was really struggling... he thought the chatbot could help."

Timestamps:

• 02:30 - Elon Musk's dominant role in the election
• 05:05 - Unprecedented direct outreach by Musk
• 07:32 - Legal concerns regarding Musk's PAC activities
• 20:57 - End of social media neutrality debate
• 53:48 - Ethical concerns about AI trustworthiness
• 67:58 - Impact of AI companionship on Sewell

This summary provides a comprehensive overview of the key discussions, insights, and conclusions from the Hard Fork episode titled "The Elon-ction + Can A.I. Be Blamed for a Teen’s Suicide?" For the full conversation, listeners are encouraged to subscribe and tune into the episode on nytimes.com/podcasts or on popular platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify.