FIR #429: Fake Podcasters Discuss Real Debunkbot

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Debunkbot was designed to talk people out of their beliefs in conspiracy theories — and it works. To discuss this remarkable chatbot, we turned to PDF2Audio, which creates an audio podcast discussion (or summary or lecture) from any uploaded PDF. It’s not Google’s NotebookLM, which features a similar capability within a more robust note-keeping tool, nor does it replicate the easy-going, conversational flow that Notebook LM delivers. However, it offers multiple voices, avoiding the sameness of NotebookLM’s outputs. Both tools — though jaw-dropping — have flaws, but given that the technology is just months old, it’s not hard to imagine what it will be capable of in the next few years.

Links from this episode:

• Durably reducing conspiracy theories through dialogues with AI
• Meet ‘DebunkBot’: Can AI truly combat conspiracy theories?
• How an AI ‘debunkbot’ can change a conspiracy theorist’s mind
• NotebookLM
• NotebookLM Drives AI Audio Conversations That Feel Human (Neville Hobson)
• Christopher S. Penn’s LinkedIn post on NotebookLM
• PDF2Audio

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The next monthly, long-form episode of FIR will drop on Monday, September 30.

We host a Communicators Zoom Chat most Thursdays at 1 p.m. ET. To obtain the credentials needed to participate, contact Shel or Neville directly, request them in our Facebook group, or email [e-mail].

Special thanks to Jay Moonah for the opening and closing music.

You can find the stories from which Shel’s FIR content is selected at Shel’s Link Blog. Shel has started a metaverse-focused Flipboard magazine. You can catch up with both co-hosts on Neville’s blog and Shel’s blog.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this podcast are Shel’s and Neville’s and do not reflect the views of their employers and/or clients.

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