The Download: How Political Chatbots Influence Voters and Gene‑Editing Ads Captivate Audiences

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.

AI chatbots can sway voters better than political advertisements

The news: Chatting with a politically biased AI model is more effective than political ads at nudging both Democrats and Republicans to support presidential candidates of the opposing party, new research shows.

The catch: The chatbots swayed opinions by citing facts and evidence, but they were not always accurate—in fact, the researchers found, the most persuasive models said the most untrue things. The findings are the latest in an emerging body of research demonstrating the persuasive power of LLMs. They raise profound questions about how generative AI could reshape elections.  Read the full story.

—Michelle Kim 

The era of AI persuasion in elections is about to begin

—Tal Feldman is a JD candidate at Yale Law School who focuses on technology and national security. Aneesh Pappu is a PhD student and Knight-Hennessy scholar at Stanford University who focuses on agentic AI and technology policy. 

The fear that elections could be overwhelmed by AI-generated realistic fake media has gone mainstream—and for good reason.

But that’s only half the story. The deeper threat isn’t that AI can just imitate people—it’s that it can actively persuade people. And new research published this week shows just how powerful that persuasion can be. AI chatbots can shift voters’ views by a substantial margin, far more than traditional political advertising tends to do.

In the coming years, we will see the rise of AI that can personalize arguments, test what works, and quietly reshape political views at scale. That shift—from imitation to active persuasion—should worry us deeply. Read the full story. 

The ads that sell the sizzle of genetic trait discrimination

—Antonio Regalado, senior editor for biomedicine

One day this fall, I watched an electronic sign outside the Broadway-Lafayette subway station in Manhattan switch seamlessly between an ad for makeup and one promoting the website Pickyourbaby.com, which promises a way for potential parents to use genetic tests to influence their baby’s traits, including eye color, hair color, and IQ.

Inside the station, every surface was wrapped with more of its ads—babies on turnstiles, on staircases, on banners overhead. “Think about it. Makeup and then genetic optimization,” exulted Kian Sadeghi, the 26-year-old founder of Nucleus Genomics, the startup running the ads. 

The day after the campaign launched, Sadeghi and I had briefly sparred online. He’d been on X showing off a phone app where parents can click through traits like eye color and hair color. I snapped back that all this sounded a lot like Uber Eats—another crappy, frictionless future invented by entrepreneurs, but this time you’d click for a baby.

That night, I agreed to meet Sadeghi in the station under a banner that read, “IQ is 50% genetic.” Read on to see how Antonio’s conversation with Sadeghi went.

This story first appeared in The Checkup, MIT Technology Review’s weekly biotech newsletter. To receive it in your inbox every Thursday, and read articles like this first, sign up here.

The must-reads

I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.

1 The metaverse’s future looks murkier than ever
OG believer Mark Zuckerberg is planning deep cuts to the division’s budget. (Bloomberg $)
+ However some of that money will be diverted toward smart glasses and wearables. (NOW $)
+ Meta just managed to poach one of Apple’s top design chiefs. (Bloomberg $)

2 Kids are effectively AI’s guinea pigs
And regulators are slowly starting to take note of the risks. (The Economist $)
+ You need to talk to your kid about AI. Here are 6 things you should say. (MIT Technology Review)

3 How a group of women changed UK law on non-consensual deepfakes
It’s a big victory, and they managed to secure it with stunning speed. (The Guardian)
+ But bans on deepfakes take us only so far—here’s what else we need. (MIT Technology Review)
+ An AI image generator startup just leaked a huge trove of nude images. (Wired $) 
4 OpenAI is acquiring an AI model training startup
Its researchers have been impressed by the monitoring and de-bugging tools built by Neptune. (NBC)
+ It’s not just you: the speed of AI deal-making really is accelerating. (NOW $)
5 Russia has blocked Apple’s FaceTime video calling feature
It seems the Kremlin views any platform it doesn’t control as dangerous. (Reuters $)
+ How Russia killed its tech industry. (MIT Technology Review)
6 The trouble with AI browsers
This reviewer tested five of them and found them to be far more effort than they’re worth. (The Verge $)
+ AI means the end of internet search as we’ve known it. (MIT Technology Review)
7 An anti-AI activist has disappeared 
Sam Kirchner went AWOL after failing to show up at a scheduled court hearing, and friends are worried. (The Atlantic$)
8 Taiwanese chip workers are creating a community in the Arizona desert
A TSMC project to build chip factories is rapidly transforming this corner of the US. (NOW $)

9 This hearing aid has become a status symbol 
Rich people with hearing issues swear by a product made by startup Fortell. (Wired $)
+ Apple AirPods can be a gateway hearing aid. (MIT Technology Review) 
10 A plane crashed after one of its 3D-printed parts melted 
Just because you can do something, that doesn’t mean you should. (BBC)

Quote of the day

“Some people claim we can scale up current technology and get to general intelligence…I think that’s bullshit, if you’ll pardon my French.”

—AI researcher Yann LeCun explains why he’s leaving Meta to set up a world-model startup, Sifted reports.

One more thing

ILLUSTRATION SOURCES: NATIONAL HUMAN GENOME RESEARCH INSTITUTE

What to expect when you’re expecting an extra X or Y chromosome

Sex chromosome variations, in which people have a surplus or missing X or Y, occur in as many as one in 400 births. Yet the majority of people affected don’t even know they have them, because these conditions can fly under the radar.

As more expectant parents opt for noninvasive prenatal testing in hopes of ruling out serious conditions, many of them are surprised to discover instead that their fetus has a far less severe—but far less well-known—condition.

And because so many sex chromosome variations have historically gone undiagnosed, many ob-gyns are not familiar with these conditions, leaving families to navigate the unexpected news on their own. Read the full story.

—Bonnie Rochman

We can still have nice things

A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet ’em at me.)

+ It’s never too early to start practicing your Yule logskills for the holidays.
+ Brandi Carlile, you will always be famous.
+ What do bartenders get up to after finishing their Thanksgiving shift? It’s time to find out.
+ Pitchfork’s controversial list of the best albums of the year is here!

How might the increasing sophistication of political chatbots exacerbate existing societal divisions?

The Rise of Political Chatbots & AI in Elections

The 2024 US Presidential election cycle saw an unprecedented integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into political campaigning. Beyond simple data analytics, we witnessed the deployment of refined political chatbots designed to engage voters, disseminate details (and misinformation), and even attempt to persuade individuals.This isn’t just about automated responses; these bots are leveraging natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML) to mimic human conversation,tailoring their messaging to individual user profiles.

* Personalized Political Messaging: Chatbots analyze publicly available data – social media activity, voting records (were accessible), and online behavior – to craft highly targeted messages.

* Micro-Targeting & Voter Segmentation: Campaigns can segment voters into incredibly specific groups based on their concerns and beliefs, delivering tailored arguments.

* Rapid Response & Disinformation Campaigns: Bots can quickly respond to emerging narratives, counter opposing viewpoints, and, unfortunately, spread false or misleading information at scale. The speed and volume make fact-checking incredibly challenging.

* Voter Mobilization: Chatbots are used to remind voters about registration deadlines, polling locations, and encourage early voting.

The ethical implications are significant. Concerns around algorithmic bias, transparency in political advertising, and the potential for manipulation of public opinion are growing. Regulation is struggling to keep pace with the rapid advancements in AI technology.

How Chatbots are Shaping Voter Perception

The effectiveness of these chatbots hinges on their ability to build trust and rapport. Researchers at Stanford University conducted a study in late 2024 demonstrating that individuals were more likely to agree with a political statement presented by a chatbot they perceived as human,even when explicitly told it was an AI. This highlights the power of anthropomorphism in AI-driven persuasion.

Here’s a breakdown of key influencing tactics:

1. Emotional Appeals: bots are programmed to identify and respond to emotional cues in user input, tailoring their responses to evoke specific feelings.
2. Framing & Narrative Control: They can frame issues in a way that favors a particular candidate or policy position.
3. repetition & reinforcement: Repeated exposure to specific messages,even thru seemingly organic conversations,can reinforce beliefs.
4. Echo Chambers & Filter Bubbles: bots can contribute to the creation of echo chambers by directing users to information that confirms their existing biases.

gene-Editing Ads: A new Frontier in Direct-to-Consumer Marketing

While political chatbots grapple with ethical concerns, another AI-powered marketing trend is captivating audiences – and raising its own set of questions: gene-editing ads. Companies offering at-home genetic testing and, increasingly, gene-editing services (focused on lifestyle enhancements, not disease treatment – yet) are utilizing sophisticated advertising techniques to appeal to consumer desires for optimization and longevity.

These ads aren’t simply showcasing test results; they’re presenting a vision of a “better you” achievable through genetic intervention.

* Personalized Video Ads: AI analyzes user data to create personalized video ads that highlight specific genetic predispositions and offer tailored solutions.

* Influencer Marketing & Genetic Storytelling: Influencers are sharing their genetic testing results and experiences with gene-editing services, creating a sense of social proof and desirability.

* gamification & Genetic “Scores”: Companies are assigning users “genetic scores” based on their test results, creating a sense of competition and motivating them to improve their scores through interventions.

* Targeted Advertising Based on Genetic Traits: Ads are being targeted based on identified genetic traits, offering products and services designed to address specific vulnerabilities or enhance specific strengths.

The Psychology Behind Gene-Editing Ad appeal

The success of these ads taps into several powerful psychological drivers:

* The Desire for Control: Gene editing offers the illusion of control over one’s own biology and destiny.

* Fear of Missing Out (FOMO): ads emphasize the potential benefits of genetic optimization, creating a fear of being left behind.

* Vanity & Self-Improvement: The promise of enhanced physical appearance, cognitive abilities, or longevity appeals to our innate desire for self-improvement.

* The “Quantified Self” Movement: The growing trend of tracking and analyzing personal data (fitness, sleep, genetics) creates a receptive audience for gene-editing services.

Real-World Examples & Case Studies

Case Study: The 2024 Iowa Caucus & AI-Powered Voter Outreach: The DeSantis campaign reportedly utilized a network of AI-powered chatbots to engage with potential voters in Iowa, focusing on key issues like education and parental rights. While the campaign claimed success in mobilizing support,critics argued that the bots spread misleading information about opposing candidates. (Source: The New York Times, February 2024).

Example: Nutrigenomix & Personalized Nutrition Ads: Nutrigenomix, a Canadian company, uses genetic testing to