Understanding AI Reasoning: Myths and Realities

Welcome back to The FAIK Files!

In this week's episode:

• OpenAI's models are reportedly resisting human commands to shut down
• A controversial new research paper questions whether AI systems actually "think" or just create an illusion of reasoning.
• How generative AI exploits the same psychological triggers as gambling—"just one more prompt, bro!"
• Google's VEO-3 and ElevenLabs 3 are creating deepfakes so convincing they're fooling both people and detection systems.

Check out Perry's new website, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Deception Project⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and newsletter, Deceptive Minds: a newsletter about how we are fooled, how we fool ourselves, and what we can do about it. Subscribe on LinkedIn ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7319922626200510464⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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******* NOTES AND REFERENCES *******

OpenAI's "Skynet Moment" - The Shutdown Problem:

• Original Thread from X: https://xcancel.com/PalisadeAI/status/1926084635903025621
• Article from ComputerWorld: https://www.computerworld.com/article/3999190/openais-skynet-moment-models-defy-human-commands-actively-resist-orders-to-shut-down.html
• Mason's Favorite Video about the "Stop Button" problem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TYT1QfdfsM

Apple's "Illusion of Thinking" Research Paper:

• Apple Research Paper: https://machinelearning.apple.com/research/illusion-of-thinking
• Nate Jones' nuanced take: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9tYAvjkOQk
• Wes Roth's similarly nuanced take (with an experiment): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVJem2iLKZ8

AI & Gambling Addiction - "Just One More Prompt":

• Pivot To AI Blog: https://pivot-to-ai.com/2025/06/05/generative-ai-runs-on-gambling-addiction-just-one-more-prompt-bro/
• Bonus - Fake AI Startups Exposed: https://www.peoplemattersglobal.com/news/technology/fake-ai-startups-founder-charged-for-fraudulent-ai-app-powered-by-human-labour-45154
• https://infosecwriteups.com/the-billion-dollar-ai-lie-how-builder-ai-faked-growth-fooled-investors-and-got-caught-3af1464a5ffe

Google VEO-3 and ElevenLabs 3 - The New Era of Synthetic Media:

• Perry's LinkedIn post about TikTok deepfakes: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7338301239539003393/
• CNN Interview: https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/15/business/video/deepfake-detector-fooled-isabel-rosales-digvid
• Perry's Google VEO 3 experiment: The Sandwich Incident: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvsFm1XII6U
• ElevenLabs v3: https://elevenlabs.io/blog/v3-audiotags

******* THE BOILERPLATE *******

About The FAIK Files:

The FAIK Files is an offshoot project from Perry Carpenter's most recent book, FAIK: A Practical Guide to Living in a World of Deepfakes, Disinformation, and AI-Generated Deceptions.

• Get the Book: ⁠⁠⁠FAIK: A Practical Guide to Living in a World of Deepfakes, Disinformation, and AI-Generated Deceptions⁠⁠⁠ (Amazon Associates link)
• Check out the website for more info: ⁠⁠⁠https://thisbookisfaik.com⁠⁠⁠

Check out Perry & Mason's other show, the Digital Folklore Podcast:

• Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/digital-folklore/id1657374458⁠⁠⁠
• Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/2v1BelkrbSRSkHEP4cYffj?si=u4XTTY4pR4qEqh5zMNSVQA⁠⁠⁠

Want to connect with us? Here's how:

Connect with Perry:

• Perry on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/perrycarpenter⁠⁠⁠
• Perry on X: ⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/perrycarpenter⁠⁠⁠
• Perry on BlueSky: ⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/perrycarpenter.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠

Connect with Mason:

• Mason on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mason-amadeus-a853a7242/⁠⁠⁠
• Mason on BlueSky: ⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wickedinterest.ing⁠

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