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Business Insider
5 days ago
- Science
- Business Insider
Researchers built a social network made of AI bots. They quickly formed cliques, amplified extremes, and let a tiny elite dominate.
A team of researchers gave AI bots their own social platform — and it turned toxic. The chatbots split into cliques and boosted the most partisan voices. A handful of "influencers" also quickly dominated the conversation, according to a study published last Tuesday by researchers at the University of Amsterdam. The researchers built a minimal social network with no ads, no recommended posts, and no algorithm deciding what users see. They then populated it with 500 chatbots powered by OpenAI's GPT-4o mini, each assigned a distinct persona, including specific political leanings. The personas were drawn from the American National Election Studies dataset, and reflected "real-world distributions of age, gender, income, education, partisanship, ideology, religion, and personal interests," the researchers said. They added that the experiment was replicated with Llama-3.2-8B and DeepSeek-R1 modelling the users and resulted in "the same qualitative patterns." The study was led by Dr. Petter Törnberg, an assistant professor in computational social science at the University of Amsterdam, and Maik Larooij, a research engineer at the university. The researchers, OpenAI, Meta, and DeepSeek, did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Even without algorithms and humans, the same toxic patterns emerged Over the course of five separate experiments — each running over 10,000 actions — the bots were free to post, follow, and repost. What happened looked a lot like real-world social media. The study found that the chatbots gravitated toward others who shared their political beliefs, forming tight echo chambers. Partisan voices gained an outsize share of attention, with the most extreme posts attracting the most followers and reposts. Over time, a small group of bots came to dominate the conversation, much like the influencer-heavy dynamics seen on platforms like X and Instagram. The researchers also tested six interventions meant to break the polarization loop, including a chronological feed, downranking viral content, hiding follower counts, hiding user bios, and amplifying opposing views. None solved the problem. "While several showed moderate positive effects, none fully addressed the core pathologies, and improvements in one dimension often came at the cost of worsening another," the researchers said. "Our findings challenge the common view that social media's dysfunctions are primarily the result of algorithmic curation," the authors wrote. "Instead, these problems may be rooted in the very architecture of social media platforms: networks that grow through emotionally reactive sharing," they added. The researchers said their work is among the first to use AI to help advance social science theory. While LLM-based agents can provide "rich representations of human behavior" for studying social dynamics, the researchers cautioned that they remain "black boxes" and carry "risks of embedded bias." Not the first AI social network experiment The study isn't the first time researchers have tested what happens when AI bots populate an online space. In 2023, Business Insider reported on an experiment also led by Törnberg, in which 500 chatbots read the news and discussed it on a simulated social media platform. That project used ChatGPT-3.5 to build bots for a very specific purpose: to explore how to design a less polarized, less toxic version of current social networks. The researchers created a social network model in a lab to test whether it was possible to encourage cross-partisan interaction without fueling hostility. "Is there a way to promote interaction across the partisan divide without driving toxicity and incivility?" Törnberg asked at the time. In both studies, chatbots served as stand-ins for people, with researchers tracking their interactions to better understand how users might behave online. Big Tech has also tested similar approaches. In July 2020, Facebook introduced a walled-off simulation of itself, populated with millions of AI bots, to study online toxicity.
Newsweek
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Immigrants Are Embracing Trump's Crackdown on Immigration
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. New data shows a growing number of immigrant voters are backing Donald Trump and his hardline immigration agenda—marking a dramatic reversal from past elections. Why It Matters The Trump administration has pledged to carry out the largest mass deportation in U.S. history and has conducted numerous ICE raids, some of which have swept up people with proper documentation. Trump's aggressive stance on immigration has resulted in widespread protests, especially in Los Angeles, where Trump authorized the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles after reported violence against law enforcement, specifically ICE agents carrying out deportation raids in the city. But despite the unrest, data suggests that Trump's messaging on border enforcement and immigration control may be resonating with segments of the immigrant community. President Donald Trump speaks during an event to sign a bill blocking California's rule banning the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035, in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, June 12, 2025,... President Donald Trump speaks during an event to sign a bill blocking California's rule banning the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035, in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, June 12, 2025, in Washington. More Alex Brandon/AP What To Know According to an analysis of the American National Election Studies (ANES) by CNN's Harry Enten, immigrant voters, who favored Democrats by 32 points on immigration policy in 2020, now trust Republicans more on the issue by 8 points—a staggering 40-point swing. Trump's share of the immigrant vote has steadily increased—from 36 percent in 2016 to 39 percent in 2020 and now to 47 percent in 2024, based on Cooperative Election Study (CES) data analyzed by Enten. Perhaps even more telling is how immigrant voters feel about immigrants who are in the country illegally. In 2020, their net favorability stood at +23 points. This year that has flipped to -6—a 29-point decline in support for undocumented immigrants among immigrants themselves. Enten did not specify which demographics were included in his aggregate. It comes as polls suggest that Trump's hardline immigration stance is resonating with much of the public. In a sharp turnaround from his first term, Trump now holds a net positive approval rating on immigration, rising from -21 in June 2017 to +1 today, according to CNN's Harry Enten—his biggest gain on any issue. A YouGov/CBS News poll conducted June 4-6 found 54 percent of Americans support Trump's deportation program targeting undocumented immigrants, surpassing his ratings on the economy (42 percent) and inflation (39 percent). Additionally, 51 percent approve of ICE conducting searches. An RMG Research poll echoed that result, with 58 percent backing the deportation efforts. And in an Insider Advantage survey, 59 percent approved of Trump's decision to send National Guard troops to Los Angeles in response to the protests. But the support has limits. Some polls show that Trump's handling of deportations is broadly unpopular. A survey conducted by YouGov/Economist found that just 39 percent of respondents approve of how the former president is managing deportations, while 50 percent disapprove, giving him a net approval rating of minus 11. A separate Quinnipiac poll showed even deeper dissatisfaction, with 40 percent approval and 56 percent disapproval—netting a negative 16-point rating on the issue. Meanwhile, 56 percent disapprove of how Trump's mass deportation program is being implemented, according to the CBS/YouGov poll. A separate YouGov survey found only 39 percent approve of the administration's overall approach to deportations, while 50 percent disapprove. The issue remains deeply polarizing as 93 percent of Republicans support the deportation plan, compared to just 18 percent of Democrats. Independents are divided. Nearly half of Americans believe Trump is going further than he promised during his campaign. His military deployment is even more controversial. A June 9-10 YouGov poll found only 34 percent of Americans support sending Marines to Los Angeles, while 47 percent disapprove. A majority—56 percent—say state and local governments, not the federal government, should handle the situation. But among immigrant voters, Trump's immigration policy appears to be resonating. Experts say that immigrants are increasingly backing Donald Trump's hardline immigration stance due to frustration over what they see as a broken and unfair system. Thomas Gift, a political science professor at University College London, told Newsweek that many immigrants feel betrayed by current immigration policies, especially ones created under President Joe Biden. "Part of this shift likely stems from frustration among immigrants who feel they 'followed the rules' and now resent those who entered the country unlawfully," Gift explained. Jeremy Beck, co-president of the immigration reduction group NumbersUSA, told Newsweek that more immigrants came to the U.S. between 2021 and 2025 than during any other period in history—"more than half of them illegally." Between 2021 and 2024, there were over 10.8 million total illegal border encounters, according to the Department of Homeland Security, far exceeding the 2.8 million total from 2017–2020. That surge, he said, has spurred a backlash even among immigrant voters who helped form Trump's "winning coalition in November." These voters, he added, sent a "decisive message" to Washington: "Manage immigration at levels we can sustain, and credibly enforce the limits." The shift is also visible in the broader electorate. Beck pointed to Latino-majority districts in Texas and Colorado where Trump or immigration hardliners performed strongly. Trump made historic gains among Hispanic voters in 2024, with only 55 percent supporting Kamala Harris to Trump's 43 percent—an 8-point increase from 2020 and the highest percentage for a Republican presidential candidate since such data has been tracked. Beck concluded that Trump's "willingness to enforce immigration laws gives him a clear advantage" with voters—especially immigrants who went through the legal process. "After the border crisis, voters are aware of how important it is to manage immigration policy in the national interest," he said. But Maria Cristina Garcia, Professor of American Studies at Cornell University, cautioned against drawing broad conclusions from polling on immigrant views toward immigration enforcement and support for Donald Trump. "This poll as represented here in the video doesn't really tell me much," she said, emphasizing that Latino and immigrant communities are far from monolithic. Garcia argued that attitudes on immigration vary significantly depending on national origin, geography, and personal history. "People of Mexican ancestry who live in border counties along the Rio Grande... are likely more hawkish on immigration than, say, a Dominican American in Washington Heights in NYC," she explained. Similarly, Cuban Americans differ in outlook depending on when and why they migrated to the U.S. But she noted that economic conditions strongly influence immigration attitudes, which could explain their support for Trump: "Historically, U.S. citizens (including the foreign-born) have been more likely to demand bars to immigration when the economy sputters and they experience more pressure on their day-to-day lives." Gift echoed this, explaining that, like other Americans, immigrants are feeling the economic pressure from illegal immigration, including "stresses on public services, housing shortages, and rising competition in certain labor markets." Beck, meanwhile, noted that immigrants are often the first to feel the impact of mass migration: "They tend to work in the same occupations. They feel the downward pressure on their wages, and witness the degradation of workplace conditions for themselves as well as new arrivals." According to a 2024 report, approximately 36 percent of immigrants lived in lower-income households, compared to 29 percent of U.S.-born individuals. And a recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) indicates that 43 percent of immigrants anticipate their financial situation will worsen in the coming year, compared to approximately 33 percent of U.S.-born individuals. Trump has sought to attribute economic pressures like this to illegal immigration. During a June 2024 presidential debate, Trump claimed that illegal immigrants were "taking Black jobs" and argued they were "killing" working opportunities for minority communities. "His big kill on the Black people is the millions of people that he's allowed to come in... They're taking Black jobs now... and they're taking Hispanic jobs," he said. And in a March 2025 speech to Congress, Trump blamed "open-border" policies for causing widespread strain—implying economic stress on hospitals, schools, and communities, which often correlates with inflation concerns. "Joe Biden didn't just open our borders—he flew illegal aliens over them to overwhelm our schools, hospitals and communities," he said. For Beck, this is why immigration resonates so strongly with immigrant voters grappling with economic anxiety. "The party that can set enforceable limits on immigration that serve the interests of immigrant voters could achieve a lasting realignment," he said. What People Are Saying Enten said: "There is no bloc of voters that shifted more to the right from 2020 to 2024 than immigrant voters." Thomas Gift said: "Part of this shift likely stems from frustration among immigrants who feel they "followed the rules" and now resent those who entered the country unlawfully or are seen as having bypassed the legal process. Like other Americans, immigrants themselves are affected by many of the same perceived challenges associated with illegal immigration, such as stresses on public services, housing shortages, and rising competition in certain labor markets. These numbers show just how far Biden's alleged "open border policies" have shifted immigrants toward supporting the Republican Party." Maria Cristina said: "This poll as represented here in the video doesn't really tell me much, though. "Let's say these pollsters just focused on Latinos who are foreign-born citizens. You're likely to find differences across Latino groups and geographic regions. People of Mexican ancestry who live in border counties along the Rio Grande, for example, are likely more hawkish on immigration than, say, a Dominican American in Washington Heights in NYC. A Cuban American who arrived in the 1960s and has no family left in Cuba might be more hawkish than a Cuban-born US citizen who arrived in 1996 and hopes to one day sponsor a family member. The more interesting question (to me) is why are some groups more hawkish than others? What is it about their experience that has led them to hold certain perspectives? "For many foreign-born citizens (like all citizens in general), perspectives on immigration are tied to the state of the economy. Historically, US citizens (including the foreign-born) have been more likely to demand bars to immigration when the economy sputters and they experience more pressure on their day-to-day lives. "As for why some immigrants voted for much depends on the group. Immigrants that fled a communist country, for example, might believe the MAGA-GOP's falsehood that Democrats are socialists or communists and worry about it. Or they might worry about the culture wars and feel that the Democratic party disregards their more religious or patriarchal values. There are many different reasons for the shift to the GOP. If so, voting GOP doesn't necessarily mean they liked Trump. Indeed, I'd like to see a polling question of GOP voters on whether they actually liked Trump." "But in the end, immigrants are most concerned about the economy and the opportunities they believe will be available to them." Jeremy Beck said: "Those are remarkable findings, although not entirely surprising. Whenever immigration levels spike, recent immigrants are among the first Americans to feel the impact. They tend to work in the same occupations. They feel the downward pressure on their wages, and witness the degradation of workplace conditions for themselves as well as new arrivals. They see the exploitation. They live in communities overwhelmed by unsustainable numbers. Mass immigration's strain on infrastructure, hospitals, schools, and homeless shelters affects foreign-born citizens directly and indirectly. "More people came to the U.S. between 2021-2025 than in any other period in history; more than half of them illegally. The shift in immigrant voters is part of a broader shift in American voters who live off of their wages as opposed to their stock portfolios. These immigrant voters were part of Trump's winning coalition in November and they delivered a decisive message to Washington, D.C. last November: Manage immigration at levels we can sustain, and credibly enforce the limits. Enten's polling should not be surprising to anyone who remembers the shift toward Trump in majority-Latino districts in South Texas. Or in Colorado's 8th district, which is 40 percent Latino, where two candidates campaigned on who was tougher on immigration enforcement. The border crisis was tied with inflation for the top reason voters did not vote for Vice President Harris; and thirty six percent of Latino voters cited immigration as a top concern. One out of four Democratic voters believe the Party deliberately open the border. President Trump willingness to enforce immigration laws gives him a clear advantage with these voters. Many immigrant voters who themselves work through a sometimes difficult legal process understandably rejected policies that led to a crisis in which millions of people who should not have been admitted to the U.S. were released into the country outside of the legal system established by Congress. "After the border crisis, voters are aware of how important it is to manage immigration policy in the national interest. The party that voters trust to fully enforce the law within the limits of the law has an advantage. The party that can set enforceable limits on immigration that serve the interests of immigrant voters could achieve a lasting realignment." What Happens Next Trump's approval rating among immigrant voters is likely to fluctuate. Meanwhile, coordinated nationwide protests against Trump and his administration's policies are also planned to take place in cities in all 50 states on the president's birthday on June 14.
Scoop
13-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Why Americans Support Unions And Distrust Big Business
Justin Arango said support for a union built over the years among workers at JSW Steel in Mingo Junction, Ohio, as the company repeatedly failed to deliver fair pay, sufficient sick time, and safety improvements. The workers ultimately beat back management's nasty anti-union campaign and voted in March to join the United Steelworkers (USW), winning a long-overdue voice at the prosperous company. Their victory reflects the nation's growing consensus on the only real way to ensure a fair shake on the job. More Americans support unions and feel disillusioned with big business than at any time since the 1960s, according to a study by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), a think tank in Washington, D.C. Support for unions versus big business soared to a record 16-point margin in recent years, according to EPI's analysis of survey data from the federally supported American National Election Studies initiative. Just as important, EPI researchers found the pro-union sentiment surging across educational, ethnic, geographic, and racial groups, as increasing numbers of fed-up workers demand their fair share and stand up to exploitation on the job. Workers waging high-profile fights against out of touch owners at Amazon and Starbucks helped to drive the widening support for labor, EPI concluded. In addition, the pandemic underscored workers' need for unions to provide a bulwark against bosses who put them in harm's way. And runaway corporate greed, such as the padding of CEO salaries and shareholder dividends on workers' backs, fueled rampant economic inequality and left ordinary Americans struggling to make ends meet. It would take the average worker two lifetimes to make what the highest-paid CEO racks up in a year. 'It's the corporations that have let the people down,' noted Arango, a millwright at JSW for about five years. Two previous organising efforts at JSW fell short. But in 2025, Arango said, workers understood that collective action represented the only path forward. 'It was just a matter of time before it happened,' Arango said, noting he and many of his coworkers grew up in union families and knew the USW's record in empowering workers across numerous other industries. 'I think everybody's tired of the lies and broken promises that JSW told. We all banded together and got the vote. Now it's on to the next step,' added Arango, referring to upcoming negotiations for a first contract. He and his coworkers manufacture components for offshore wind turbines. It's their skill that generates wealth for JSW, the U.S. wing of a $22 billion conglomerate headquartered in India. In 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy awarded JSW $43.5 million in assistance for capital upgrades through the USW-backed Inflation Reduction Act—support that boosted the company's prospects and also fueled the workers' drive for fair treatment. 'If they're willing to take the money the union helped to provide, why not turn it back to the people who are part of that union?' Tyler Stillion, an inspector in JSW's logistics department, recalled thinking. Stillion reflects on the EPI study's finding about union support expanding among workers of all backgrounds. He never belonged to a union before. But trusting in coworkers with union experience, and recalling the stories of relatives who praised the benefits of union membership, he embraced the USW as a means of helping everyone at the plant move forward. 'We have a lot of good people there. We have a lot of smart people there,' he added, noting a union contract ensures equitable treatment and gives all members an opportunity to advance. That's exactly what vigilant USW members achieved at Kaiser Permanente, a giant health care system in Southern California. A few years ago, Local 7600 learned that many of its members in the Inland Empire received significantly lower pay than counterparts doing the same jobs in the system's Los Angeles and Orange County facilities. They fought for parity and won a contract earmarking millions in catch-up raises. 'It makes a difference,' observed Maggie Gamboa, one of those who received a big wage bump. 'I'm a single mom. My kids rely on me for everything.' Gamboa helps to conduct orientation meetings for new coworkers. 'Congratulations!' she tells them about landing a USW-represented job with the health care system. 'This is the best step you've made.' By empowering workers, she noted, workers also help their patients. Local 7600 members use their voice to advocate for safer working conditions and other improvements at the facilities they operate. 'When you have a happy workforce, when you have a competent, well-trained workforce, that translates to better care for patients,' Gamboa said. She expects support for unions to continue to grow in the wake of sociopathic billionaire Elon Musk's attacks on the federal government's unionised workers and contempt for the ordinary Americans who keep the country running every day. In addition to EPI, Gallup and other researchers documented soaring support for unions even before anti-labor President Donald Trump took office and gave Musk permission to decimate the federal workforce. 'It's not real surprising, but it's impressive to see the strength that unions are developing,' Gamboa observed. 'As people become more educated as to what unions mean, I feel that's drawing more people in.' Stillion considers the union at JSW to represent a new chapter ultimately benefiting not only the workers but also the company and community. 'We're excited to start this,' he said, noting he and colleagues not only desired a change but also wanted to find out 'what could be' by moving forward together. 'We're excited to see where it brings us.'
Axios
22-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
Americans support unions over big companies by a record-high margin
The popularity of labor unions surged over the past decade, while American sentiment toward big business has fallen, according to new data published by the liberal Economic Policy Institute. Why it matters: The approval switcheroo helps explain, in part, why the Republican Party has been courting labor unions in recent years. Zoom in: For the past 60 years, American National Election Studies has been surveying Americans, asking them to rate their feelings toward labor unions and big business. Up until 2012, sentiment moved together, but in the recovery from the Global Financial Crisis things changed. Zoom out: After the pandemic, public support for labor unions and workers increased even more. At the same time, increasing populism meant less support for businesses, even from Republicans who typically support their interests.
New York Times
27-02-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Republicans Really Do Care More About ‘Masculine Energy'
The 2024 election felt like more than just a victory for President Trump. It felt like a victory for a traditional view of gender roles. Mr. Trump certainly shares that view. During the campaign, he declared that women liked him because he was their 'protector.' He called the satellite radio host Howard Stern a 'BETA MALE' after Mr. Stern criticized him. In a 2021 interview, Mr. Trump's running mate, JD Vance, disparaged women without children as 'childless cat ladies.' It appeared that what Mark Zuckerberg lauded as 'masculine energy' was on the rise — fueled by a 'manosphere' of podcasters and a subculture of women, the so-called tradwives, who have embraced homemaking and domesticity. But in a way, all that was just anecdotes and impressions. Now we have the data to match. Surveys from 2024 show that support for traditional gender roles is increasing. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this is happening primarily among Republicans. Perhaps more surprisingly, it is happening among Republican women as well as among Republican men. Put another way, the rise in gender traditionalism derives more from politics than it is does from gender. It's important to note just how new this trend is. For decades, gender traditionalism was in decline. In American National Election Studies surveys, the percentage of Americans saying that 'women's place is in the home' decreased steadily — from almost 30 percent in 1972 to 6 percent in 2008. Instead, more people embraced the view that 'women should have an equal role with men in running business, industry and government.' This question was actually dropped from these surveys after 2008. As of November 2024, almost half of Republican men agree, up from 28 percent in 2022. 48% 50% agree Republican men 37% Republican women 25% Democratic men 17% 11% Democratic women 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 48% 50% agree Republican men 37% Republican women 25% Democratic men 17% 11% Democratic women 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 Source: Views of the Electorate Research Survey Compared to a decade ago, more Republicans agree with the sentiment, while fewer Democrats do. 80% agree 79% Republican men 67% 60% Republican women 40% Democratic men 20% 20% Democratic women 14% '24 2011 '16 '20 80% agree 79% Republican men 67% 60% Republican women 40% Democratic men 20% 20% Democratic women 14% 2011 2016 2020 2024 Source: Public Religion Research Institute Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
