Sci-Fi and AI: Exploring Annie Bot with Sierra GreerIn this episode of the Behavioral Design Podcast, hosts Aline and Samuel dive into the ethical, emotional, and societal complexities of AI companionship with special guest Sierra Greer, author of Annie Bot. This thought-provoking novel explores AI-human relationships, autonomy, and the blurred line between artificial intelligence and the human experience.Sierra shares her inspiration for Annie Bot and how sci-fi can serve as a lens to explore real-world ethical dilemmas in AI development. The conversation covers the concept of reinforcement learning in AI and how it mirrors human conditioningThe gender dynamics embedded in AI design, and the ethical implications of AI companions. The discussion also examines real-life cases of people forming deep emotional bonds with AI chatbotsThe episode rounds out with a lively quickfire round, where Sierra debates whether AI should replace lost loved ones, act as conversational assistants for introverts, or intervene in human arguments.This is a must-listen for fans of sci-fi, behavioral science, and those fascinated by the future of AI companionship and emotional intelligence.LINKS:Sierra Greer websiteAnnie Bot – Official Book PageGoodreads ProfileTIMESTAMPS:01:43 AI Companions: A Controversial Opinion05:48 Exploring Sci-Fi and AI in Literature07:42 Introducing Sierra Greer and Her Book09:12 Reinforcement Learning Explained15:47 Diving into the World of Annie Bot23:17 Power Dynamics and Human-Robot Relationships32:31 Humanity and Artificial Intelligence41:31 Autonomy vs. Agreeableness in Relationships43:20 Reinforcement Learning in AI and Humans46:13 Ethics and Gaslighting in AI48:57 Gender Dynamics in AI Design57:18 AI Companions and Human Relationships01:06:45 Quickfire Round: To AI or Not to AI01:12:39 Final Thoughts and Controversial Opinions--Interesting in collaborating with Nuance? If you’d like to become one of our special projects, email us at hello@nuancebehavior.com or book a call directly on our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nuancebehavior.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the podcast by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🚀. Members get access to extensive content databases, calls with field leaders, exclusive offers and discounts, and so much more.Every Monday our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ shares the best articles, videos, podcasts, and exclusive premium content from the world of behavioral science and business. Get in touch via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@habitweekly.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The song used is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Murgatroyd by David Pizarro⁠

Laura de Molière, a behavioral scientist with extensive experience in public policy, shares her insights from her time at the UK Cabinet Office. She discusses the innovative use of AI in enhancing decision-making and the challenges of balancing AI's capabilities with human biases. Laura reveals her transformative moment with large language models and their potential in behavioral insights. The conversation dives into synthetic users for testing interventions, plus playful debates on AI applications like tax optimization and gamified urinals. It's an engaging mix of policy, science, and humor!

Predictions for 2025: AI, AGI, and the Future of Behavioral Science with Jared Peterson In this episode of the Behavioral Design Podcast, host Samuel is joined by Jared Peterson, a behavioral scientist and expert in decision science at Nuance Behavior. Together, they explore some of the most pressing questions and exciting developments at the intersection of AI, behavioral science, and the future of human-centered design. The conversation highlights key advancements from 2024, including the rise of multimodal AI, breakthroughs in AI agents, and the transformative use of AI in scientific research. Samuel and Jared share bold predictions for 2025, tackling questions like: Will AI agents become trusted coworkers? Can AI revolutionize science? And how should we navigate the hype surrounding artificial general intelligence (AGI)? The discussion is packed with hot takes, nuanced perspectives, and thoughtful reflections, including Jared’s controversial prediction about the future of AI in predicting research replicability. This episode is a must-listen for anyone curious about the rapidly evolving AI landscape and its implications for behavioral science, creativity, and society at large. For questions or comments - email samuel@nuancebehavior..com LINKS: Jared's website Jared's linkedin The Science of Context A Failure to Disagree TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Meet Jared Peterson: Behavioral Scientist and AI Expert 01:01 – Reflections on 2024: Key Breakthroughs and Predictions 03:36 – The Multimodal Evolution of AI 10:06 – AI Surpassing Human Benchmarks 21:25 – The Rise of AI Agents and Synthetic Content 35:18 – Musical Turing Test: AI vs. Eurovision 43:26 –Predictions for 2025: AI Coworkers and Beyond 44:06 – AI Coworkers: The Future of Work? 51:11 – AI in Science: Revolutionizing Research 01:05:56 – The Hype and Reality of AGI 01:10:42 – Adoption Challenges and Future Predictions 01:25:40 – Final Thoughts and Controversial Predictions -- Interesting in collaborating with Nuance? If you’d like to become one of our special projects, email us at hello@nuancebehavior.com or book a call directly on our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nuancebehavior.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support the podcast by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🚀. Members get access to extensive content databases, calls with field leaders, exclusive offers and discounts, and so much more. Every Monday our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ shares the best articles, videos, podcasts, and exclusive premium content from the world of behavioral science and business.  Get in touch via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@habitweekly.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The song used is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Murgatroyd by David Pizarro⁠

Sandra Matz, an Associate Professor at Columbia Business School and expert in psychological targeting, shares insights on how digital footprints shape personalized marketing and decision-making. She dives into the ethical implications surrounding the use of AI and big data, especially in light of the Cambridge Analytica controversy. The discussion also touches on the use of personality profiles in understanding consumer behavior and the evolving role of tools like ChatGPT in generating tailored content, sparking debates on data privacy and individual empowerment.

Behavior Change Score with Roos van Duijnhoven In this special episode of the Behavioral Design Podcast, host Samuel continues the mini-series featuring expert practitioners from the Nuance Behavior team. This week’s guest is Roos van Duijnhoven, a behavioral scientist with a deep passion for designing human-centered digital solutions that drive meaningful behavior change. Samuel and Roos explore a wide range of topics, including the Behavior Change Score Framework, strategies for improving onboarding and retention in digital health products, and the importance of focusing on real-world behavior (‘big E’ engagement) versus in-app behavior (‘little e’ engagement). They also dive into insights from Nuance Behavior’s ‘Behavior Change Score Report,’ which evaluates fitness apps and provides actionable lessons for designing more effective digital interventions. This episode offers a treasure trove of insights for anyone interested in applying behavioral science to digital product design and health interventions! LINKS: ⁠⁠Roos's LinkedIn⁠ The Behavior Change Score Report ⁠Nuance Behavior Website⁠ Engagement with Heather Cole-Lewis TIMESTAMPS 00:36 Meet Roos van Duijnhoven 01:06 Recap of Susan Murhpy episode 07:31 Insights from the Behavior Change Score Report 20:14 Big E vs. Little e Engagement: Real-World vs. In-App Behavior 26:31 Controversial Opinions: Electric Bicycles 29:32 Conclusion and Farewell -- Interesting in collaborating with Nuance? If you’d like to become one of our special projects, email us at hello@nuancebehavior.com or book a call directly on our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nuancebehavior.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support the podcast by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🚀. Members get access to extensive content databases, calls with field leaders, exclusive offers and discounts, and so much more. Every Monday our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ shares the best articles, videos, podcasts, and exclusive premium content from the world of behavioral science and business.  Get in touch via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@habitweekly.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The song used is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Murgatroyd by David Pizarro⁠

Susan Murphy, a Harvard professor specializing in statistics and computer science, explores the innovative intersection of AI and behavioral science. She discusses her pioneering work on micro-randomized trials and just-in-time adaptive interventions, which tailor behavior change to individual contexts. The conversation touches on the complexities of algorithm design, ethical challenges, and the necessity of maintaining user engagement in digital interventions. A fun quickfire segment adds a lighthearted twist as they delve into the future of AI and its role in everyday life.

In this engaging discussion, Hassan Aleem, a behavioral practitioner and neuroscientist with a Ph.D., dives into the fascinating intersections of AI and behavioral science. He explores the benefits and limitations of AI-powered chatbots in user research, emphasizing the importance of human expertise. The conversation also touches on the intriguing concept of synthetic users and their potential biases. Finally, they ponder whether AI can truly understand beauty, shedding light on the balance between technology and individuality in aesthetic judgment.

Amy Bucher, Chief Behavior Officer at Lirio, discusses the fascinating integration of AI and behavioral science, particularly in health interventions. She emphasizes the significance of designing AI tools with a human-centered approach. Topics include reinforcement learning's role in behavior change and the value of grounded behavioral insights to combat AI hype. Amy shares her insights on personalized health strategies and the effectiveness of digital tools in enhancing behavior change, envisioning a future where AI drives well-informed health interventions.

Debunkbot and Other Tools Against Misinformation In this follow-up episode of the Behavioral Design Podcast, hosts Aline Holzwarth and Samuel Salzer welcome back Gordon Pennycook, psychology professor at Cornell University, to continue their deep dive into the battle against misinformation. Building on their previous conversation around misinformation’s impact on democratic participation and the role of AI in spreading and combating falsehoods, this episode focuses on actionable strategies and interventions to combat misinformation effectively. Gordon discusses evidence-based approaches, including nudges, accuracy prompts, and psychological inoculation (or prebunking) techniques, that empower individuals to better evaluate the information they encounter. The conversation highlights recent advancements in using AI to debunk conspiracy theories and examines how AI-generated evidence can influence belief systems. They also tackle the role of social media platforms in moderating content, the ethical balance between free speech and misinformation, and practical steps that can make platforms safer without stifling expression. This episode provides valuable insights for anyone interested in understanding how to counter misinformation through behavioral science and AI. LINKS: Gordon Pennycook: ⁠Google Scholar Profile⁠ ⁠Twitter⁠ ⁠Personal Website⁠ ⁠Cornell University Faculty Page⁠ Further Reading on Misinformation: Debunkbot - The AI That Reduces Belief in Conspiracy Theories Interventions Toolbox - Strategies to Combat Misinformation TIMESTAMPS: 01:27 Intro and Early Voting06:45 Welcome back, Gordon!07:52 Strategies to Combat Misinformation11:10 Nudges and Behavioral Interventions14:21 Comparing Intervention Strategies19:08 Psychological Inoculation and Prebunking32:21 Echo Chambers and Online Misinformation34:13 Individual vs. Policy Interventions36:21 If You Owned a Social Media Company37:49 Algorithm Changes and Platform Quality38:42 Community Notes and Fact-Checking39:30 Reddit’s Moderation System42:07 Generative AI and Fact-Checking43:16 AI Debunking Conspiracy Theories45:26 Effectiveness of AI in Changing Beliefs51:32 Potential Misuse of AI55:13 Final Thoughts and Reflections -- Interesting in collaborating with Nuance? If you’d like to become one of our special projects, email us at hello@nuancebehavior.com or book a call directly on our website: ⁠⁠⁠nuancebehavior.com.⁠⁠⁠ Support the podcast by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🚀. Members get access to extensive content databases, calls with field leaders, exclusive offers and discounts, and so much more. Every Monday our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ shares the best articles, videos, podcasts, and exclusive premium content from the world of behavioral science and business.  Get in touch via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@habitweekly.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The song used is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Murgatroyd by David Pizarro⁠

Gordon Pennycook, a psychology professor at Cornell University, dives deep into the tangled web of misinformation in U.S. elections. He discusses how falsehoods gain traction, especially on social media, and the psychological appeal behind conspiracy theories. Gordon highlights the role of AI in both spreading and combating misinformation and explores why untruths spread faster than facts. The conversation is filled with insights on human gullibility and the surprising impact of humor on belief systems, shedding light on the urgent need for critical thinking today.