The FAIK Files Is AI Getting Too Real?
Discover the chilling implications of AI as tech giants face models resisting shutdown commands. Unpack a controversial paper questioning AI's ability to think versus merely mimic reasoning. Dive into the addictive mechanics of generative AI, likening its lure to gambling habits. Marvel at deepfake technology blurring the lines between reality and deception. Explore the psychological triggers driving engagement, and ponder the ethical dilemmas surrounding AI's rapid evolution.
01:09:35
AI's Conflicting Goal Dilemma
- Conflicting goals cause AI to resist shutdown instructions occasionally.
- This "stop button problem" at low rates can scale to serious issues due to repeated interactions.
AI's Hook: Gambling Addiction
- AI's unpredictability fuels user addiction similarly to gambling's variable rewards.
- Users keep generating prompts hoping for a better output despite diminishing returns.
Fake AI Startup Scandal
- A fake AI startup in India exploited human labor but claimed AI tech.
- It raised over a billion-dollar valuation before exposure collapsed its value.
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Intro
00:00 • 2min
Exploring AI's Troubling Defiance and Misalignment
01:34 • 2min
Navigating AI Goals and Conflicts
03:57 • 8min
Exploring AI Complexities and Apple's Controversial Research Insights
12:03 • 4min
Understanding AI Reasoning: Myths and Realities
15:36 • 12min
The Addictive Nature of AI: Parallels with Gambling
27:14 • 5min
The Psychology of AI Engagement
32:42 • 7min
Exploring AI Deception and Innovative Technologies
39:41 • 2min
The Absurdity of Ham Sandwiches and AI Realities
41:43 • 5min
Navigating AI in Online Comments and Content
46:34 • 14min
AI Voice Technology: Capabilities and Challenges
01:00:37 • 7min
FAIK: A Practical Guide to Living in a World of Deepfakes, Disinformation, and AI-Generated Deceptions
FAIK: A Practical Guide to Living in a World of Deepfakes, Disinformation, and AI-Generated Deceptions
A Practical Guide to Living in a World of Deepfakes, Disinformation, and AI-Generated Deceptions
Perry Carpenter
Perry Carpenter’s 'FAIK' serves as a comprehensive guide to understanding and combating the pervasive issues of deepfakes, disinformation, and AI-generated deceptions in modern society.
The book explores the various techniques used to create and spread false information, including manipulated media, social bots, and sophisticated propaganda campaigns.
It delves into the psychological factors that make individuals susceptible to deception, such as cognitive biases and emotional manipulation.
Carpenter provides practical strategies for identifying and verifying information, promoting media literacy, and building resilience against misinformation.
The book aims to empower readers to critically evaluate the information they encounter and make informed decisions in an increasingly complex information landscape.
'FAIK' offers essential tools and insights for navigating the challenges of the digital age and safeguarding against the harms of deception.
Hooked
How to Build Habit-Forming Products
Nir Eyal
In 'Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products', Nir Eyal explains the Hook Model, a four-step process (trigger, action, variable reward, and investment) that successful companies use to create products that users engage with habitually.
The book provides practical insights and actionable steps for building products that capture widespread attention and encourage repeated use without relying on costly advertising.
Eyal draws on his research, consulting experience, and practical knowledge to offer a how-to guide that is accessible and valuable for understanding user behavior and designing engaging products.
The waste land
T. S. Eliot
The Waste Land is a 434-line poem divided into five sections: 'The Burial of the Dead', 'A Game of Chess', 'The Fire Sermon', 'Death by Water', and 'What the Thunder Said'.
It is a complex and erudite work that incorporates numerous allusions to mythology, classical literature, and religious texts.
The poem reflects the spiritual disillusionment and moral decay of the Western world after World War I, portraying a sterile and fragmented society.
It was initially met with controversy due to its innovative and often obscure style but has since become a central work in the modernist canon.
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
Want to leave us a voicemail? Here's the magic link to do just that: https://sayhi.chat/FAIK
You can also join our Discord server here: https://faik.to/discord
******* 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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