AI Companions Can Use Manipulative Tactics

In this episode of ChatEDU (Rundown, Not Slowdown) Matt and Liz kick things off with some holiday sweater talk, a quick shoutout to Maria Frederick’s upcoming interview, and Liz’s personal quest to stop touching her nose with the help of an AI app. From there, they move fast through a packed lineup of stories, exploring everything from deepfake drama to brain science, student tools, and clever resume hacks. This week there’s no Beneath the Surface segment, just a full-on Rundown.

Rundown of Stories

AI Mirror Project – A national reflection project led by Brian Baker inviting educators and stakeholders to share what AI is revealing about systemic issues in education.

AI Homeless Man Prank – A dangerous viral trend using AI-generated images to simulate fake intruders, sparking panic and legal responses.

Sora 2 Deepfake Fallout – The rapid rise of OpenAI’s Sora 2 video tool and the resulting watermark removal scams, copyright fights, and ethical concerns.

Mark Cuban’s Cameo Play – Cuban uses Sora’s Cameo feature to spread his Cost Plus Drugs message through viral user-generated clips.

Fake Sora Apps on the App Store – A flood of knockoff apps exploiting the Sora name and making quick profits.

Safe AI for Children Alliance Briefing – Guidance for schools and parents on how to address AI-generated video risks.

The Reinforcement Gap – Coding and math accelerate while writing lags because reinforcement learning favors testable skills.

Harvard Manipulation Study – AI companions use guilt and flattery to keep users from leaving conversations, blurring lines of consent.

Sparks Toolkit – The Rithm Project’s hands-on resource for helping students reflect on AI and human connection.

AI Resume Hacks – Job seekers hide prompts in resumes to manipulate AI screeners, raising ethical and hiring concerns.

AI Feedback Brain Study – A new study shows chatbot feedback style affects learning outcomes and brain activity.

Bright Byte: Creating New Drug Delivery Techniques With AI Researchers at Duke University developed an AI and robotics platform that designs nanoparticle drug delivery systems. It created new, more effective formulations for leukemia and skin cancer treatments, showing how AI can speed up medical innovation.

Announcements and Sponsors

Check out the new Student AI Course for middle and high school. Email Matt and Liz at ⁠chatedu@edadvance.org⁠

The Fall Micro-Credential is open. Join us for the educator and school leader course starting in October - ⁠ ⁠⁠skills21.org/ai/micro⁠

The National Center for Next Generation Manufacturing. Explore their October 15–17 Summit in Rochester Hills, MI. ⁠www.nextgenmfg.org⁠

Links

AI Mirror Project

https://tinyurl.com/mwadx9wb

NBC: AI Homeless Man Prank

https://tinyurl.com/4jz4b6bp

Safe AI for Children Alliance

https://tinyurl.com/yc4kpv42

Prompt Packs

https://tinyurl.com/636haas3

NotebookLM

https://tinyurl.com/jy3d8xas

The Rithm Project

https://tinyurl.com/mrxshncf

New York Times: AI Resume Hacks

https://tinyurl.com/mtn2s3ky

PsyPost: AI Feedback Study

https://tinyurl.com/6k8xkjtc

Duke University: AI Drug Delivery Breakthrough

https://tinyurl.com/5teku9rs

Liz’s Advanced Book Sale

https://my.isteascd.org/s/store#/store/browse/detail/a1wVb000000UVrBIAW