Gordon-Levitt tells NYT video interview AI models are trained to "hijack your intimacy"
In a video interview published by The New York Times on 10 October, actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the UN's advocate for human-centric digital governance, said people should worry about those building AI rather than fear AI itself.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt warned in a vlog-style video interview with The New York Times, published on Saturday 10 October, that AI models are being trained to "hijack your intimacy". VarietyLC “in a vlog-style video interview with The New York Times published on Saturday” Read at Variety ↗ DeadlineN “these models are being trained to hijack your intimacy, to make friends with you, to get you to fall in love with it.” Read at Deadline ↗ Mixed · 2Asked what they fear most about AI, Gordon-Levitt objected to reducing the concerns to "one sound bite of fear" and said the scenario of AI exterminating humanity, while valid, is not what worries them most. DeadlineN “I would object to that question just because reducing these concerns into one sound bite of fear” Read at Deadline ↗ VarietyLC “There’s real validity to that concern. But that’s not the thing that really worries me,”” Read at Variety ↗ Mixed · 2Gordon-Levitt said the bigger worries are the "decline of democracy, the decline of human empathy" and companies betting they will "take over the entire economy", which they called totalitarianism, concluding: "We shouldn’t be scared of an A.I. We should be concerned about the people building A.I." VarietyLC “These companies are betting on the notion that they’re going to take over the entire economy. That would be totalitarianism, and that would be really bad” Read at Variety ↗ DeadlineN “We shouldn’t be scared of an A.I. We should be concerned about the people building A.I.”” Read at Deadline ↗
Mixed · 2Gordon-Levitt holds the title of the United Nations' global advocate of human-centric digital governance, a new position announced in March that the UN described as a role to strengthen public understanding of how digital technologies shape everyday life, rights and opportunities. VarietyLC “Gordon-Levitt was appointed to a brand-new United Nations position in March.” Read at Variety ↗ DeadlineN “serving as the United Nations’ global advocate of human-centric digital governance” Read at Deadline ↗ Centre · 1Deadline reported that the interview took place as Gordon-Levitt was en route to address world leaders and officials at the UN on the impact of AI. DeadlineN “Gordon-Levitt is in en route to address world leaders and officials gathered at the U.N. on the impact of A.I.” Read at Deadline ↗ Centre · 1Asked why the public should listen to an actor on AI safety, Gordon-Levitt called it a fair question and pointed to Stuart Russell's book Human Compatible and the work of Yoshua Bengio, adding that they had read such material themself and that communication is central to the issue. DeadlineN “You should read Human Compatible by Stuart Russell. Go look up Yoshua Bengio.”“A lot of what needs to happen, I think, has to do with communication” Read at Deadline ↗
Centre · 1Explaining the title, Gordon-Levitt said it means digital technology should be governed by people and for people, and argued that calling it "artificial intelligence" decentres humans because AI is "algorithmically recombined, human-produced data". DeadlineN “It just means that digital technology should be governed by people and for people,”” Read at Deadline ↗ Centre · 1On whether the slow-moving UN can make Silicon Valley follow rules, Gordon-Levitt said they did not know the answer and found the issue daunting, but that if an international regulatory framework took seven years, people would be glad they had started now. DeadlineN “I don’t know the answer. I think if it does take, say, seven years for the U.N. to put together an internationally agreed upon regulatory framework for A.I.” Read at Deadline ↗ Mixed · 2Variety added that Gordon-Levitt has long been outspoken on AI and in January joined more than 700 artists, writers and creators, including Scarlett Johansson and Cate Blanchett, in backing a campaign against tech companies using copyrighted work without permission; Deadline noted they co-founded the Creators Coalition on A.I. VarietyLC “joined more than 700 artists, writers and creators, including Scarlett Johansson and Cate Blanchett” Read at Variety ↗ DeadlineN “a co-founder of Creators Coalition on A.I.” Read at Deadline ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left2 outlets
- Framing
- Variety leads with the quote as a news item, adding context on the UN appointment and Gordon-Levitt's earlier anti-AI campaigning.
- Emphasis
- The warning about intimacy and the concern about AI builders; background on the 700-creator copyright campaign.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not include the UN-regulation timeline remarks, the 'why listen to an actor' exchange or the Creators Coalition role.
- Charged language
- “hijack your intimacy”
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Deadline presents a fuller walk-through of the interview, with the intimacy quote in the headline.
- Emphasis
- The actor's answers on credibility, regulation at the UN and the meaning of the UN title.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the January anti-AI campaign or the March date of the UN appointment.
- Charged language
- “Being Trained To Hijack Your Intimacy”“some concerning words”
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Gordon-Levitt gave a video interview to The New York Times in which they said AI models are being trained to 'hijack your intimacy'.
- They said people should be concerned about those building AI rather than scared of AI itself.
- Gordon-Levitt holds a UN role as global advocate of human-centric digital governance.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt person
Says the main danger is the companies building AI and its effects on democracy, empathy and intimacy, not a sound-bite fear of human extinction; calls for international regulation even if slow.
“We should be concerned about the people building A.I.”” — Deadline
“seven years from now we’ll be glad that we started now.” — Deadline
Left2 articles
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Joseph Gordon-Levitt Says A.I. Is Being Trained to ‘Hijack Your Intimacy’: ‘We Should Be Concerned’
Neutral Short news write-up of the main quotes with background on the UN role and earlier anti-AI activism.
Centre1 article
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Joseph Gordon-Levitt Warns A.I. Models Are “Being Trained To Hijack Your Intimacy”
Neutral Detailed recap of the interview's Q&A, relaying the actor's warnings with mild editorial framing as 'concerning'.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 10 Oct 15:24 First DeadlineN Joseph Gordon-Levitt Warns A.I. Models Are “Being Trained To Hijack Your Intimacy”
- 10 Oct 19:42 +4h 18m The A.V. ClubLC Joseph Gordon-Levitt, in his new U.N.-appointed role, addresses AI impact
- 10 Oct 20:53 +5h 29m VarietyLC Joseph Gordon-Levitt Says A.I. Is Being Trained to ‘Hijack Your Intimacy’: ‘We Should Be Concerned’
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.