Twitter, Elon Musk, and the Information Crisis

We’re more vulnerable than ever to AI-powered misinformation on Twitter

Elon Musk and his new little pet. Credit: Author via Midjourney

I’ve written about AI-powered misinformation here, here, and here. About the dangers of social media and recommender systems here and here. And about Elon Musk and his endeavors here and here. Today I bring you a mix of the three.

I’m super tired of the bird app these days. You’re too, probably. But what’s happening right now — with Twitter and Musk as epicenters — could send shockwaves through the fabric of society in the form of a new meaning of the words “reliable information.”

There’s nothing novel about our inability to assess with certainty the sources of our truths — misinformation has existed since the origins of time. But even if humans don’t need fancy technologies to spread lies, AI and machine learning systems enhance the capabilities of malicious actors to unprecedented levels — that’s why it’s important to draw a clear picture of what’s going on.

We’re living through a Twitter news rollercoaster, so I’ll approach this article with more caution than usual. I don’t really have a strong opinion (I don’t have a clue how to run a social media company), but I have this weird sensation that we’re going downhill. I’ll share with you the events I consider relevant to…