Policy & Drama

AI scammers outperform humans when it comes to building trust

The notion that scammers can use AI to sharpen their deceptions, polish their language, and lubricate their banter with victims is now a reality for anyone fighting the fraud operations that steal tens of billions of dollars a year worldwide. But can AI fully replace a human scammer, autonomously building the web of deception leading up to the fake investment that defrauds the mark? One study's experiment suggests that it can—and may even be able to carry out the majority of that long con more e

Get smart on it

Researchers tested whether AI chatbots could perform the trust-building phase of "pig butchering" scams, which are text-based romance frauds that eventually shift to fake cryptocurrency investments. In their experiment, an AI chatbot was more effective than human scammers at building exploitable trust with test subjects, with nearly half agreeing to download an app when asked by the AI compared to fewer than one in five for humans. The researchers suggest AI could eventually carry out most of the scamming process independently, with a human scammer only taking over at the final stage to direct victims to fake investment platforms, thereby bypassing safeguards built into language models. This matters because pig butchering scams steal tens of billions of dollars annually worldwide, and the ability to automate the longest phase could make these fraud operations significantly more efficient and scalable.

The biggest AI stories, once a day

One short email a day with the stories that matter. Free. Unsubscribe with one click.

Relevant courses

Want to go deeper than the news? Explore live, cohort-based AI courses taught by practitioners.

Browse AI courses on Maven
Related news
Policy & DramaOpen story →

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang resigns amid spy, affair scandals

Jensen Huang at GTC Berlin last month. | Photo: Soeren Stache / picture alliance via Getty Images Nvidia's board has ousted Jensen Huang, its longtime co-founder, president, and CEO, after reports of two extramarital affairs - one with an alleged Chinese spy and one with an Nvidia executive who reported to Huang. A press release published Thursday morning announced Huang's resignation, effective immediately, as current CFO Colette Kress has been appointed interim CEO. Huang has

Policy & DramaOpen story →

Nvidia is reportedly preparing to fire Jensen Huang

Nvidia's board is preparing to dismiss CEO Jensen Huang following a report from the New York Times about a second alleged extramarital affair, just days after he admitted to a separate affair with a woman alleged to be a Chinese spy, The Wall Street Journal reports. The second alleged affair was with an executive who reports to him, Nvidia's vice president of health care, Kimberly Powell, according to the Times, saying the two may have been captured on video "being affectionate

Also reported by TechCrunch and Wired AI

Policy & DramaOpen story →

The unfolding Jensen Huang scandal: a timeline

The affair could have ramifications for national security as the U.S. and China race to develop the most advanced AI infrastructure.

Policy & DramaOpen story →

Jensen Huang accused of having another affair, with an Nvidia exec

Jensen Huang, who has come under fire for admitting to an affair with a woman accused of being a Chinese intelligence agent, has been accused of having a separate affair with an Nvidia subordinate.

Policy & DramaOpen story →

Congress to call Jensen Huang in to answer for alleged Chinese spy affair

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has until the end of the day Wednesday to answer a call from House Republicans for a closed-door briefing on his affair with alleged Chinese spy.

Policy & DramaOpen story →

Nvidia is investigating Jensen Huang’s relationship with a Chinese spy

Nvidia has announced that it is opening an investigation into CEO Jensen Huang and his relationship with Megaspeed executive Alice Huang, who was reportedly recruited by China's Ministry of State Security to spy on the company. A statement posted by the board of directors reads: The NVIDIA Board is initiating an independent investigation in light of recent reporting that founder and CEO Jensen Huang has been the target of a foreign intelligence effort. A committee of independe

Also reported by TechCrunch, Wired AI and Data Center Knowledge