Second, and most importantly, the economics of it don't make sense, even at $0.05/response. For someone to scale this approach would require multiple user accounts (which we have robust guards against), meaning the break-even point for a bad actor is likely impossible to reach

First, the barrier to entry here is really high. Creating a bot like this is not trivial, and required an academic team to design and implement. Current 'naive' agents such as that offered by ChatGPT are simple to catch - track mouse moves, typing speed, or even simple reverse shibboleths

Agreed, its a stark warning, and should be a call-to-arms in terms of the community finding ways to detect such bots. Keen to work together with anyone who's interested to figure that out

Not to diminish this at all - I think its a critical warning of what is coming and therefore something all researchers need to start thinking about how to protect against. But its highly unlikely to be a current threat. At least on panels with safeguards in place

Remember that (a) the barrier to entry here is high (not simple to make a bot like this), and (b) the economics of it don't make a lot of sense, even at $0.05/response, to scale it would require multiple user accounts (which we have guards against) the break-even point is likely impossible to reach

Physical touch might be one of our best behavioural indicators of social connection. Unlike loneliness surveys, you can't be hugged without another person choosing to embrace you...

Full data: www.prolific.com/polling

The patterns are stark:

Men: 21.1% vs Women: 12.6%
African Americans: 24.9% (highest)
White Americans: 15.2%
Political independents: 18.7%
Republicans: 15.1%

There's not just a generational wealth gap anymore. There's a wellbeing gap too.

And right now, it's hitting younger people the hardest.

(Data from our latest @joinprolific.bsky.social poll - November 2024)

Full data: www.prolific.com/polling

Millennials/older Gen Z are carrying the heaviest load:

- Student loans
- Locked out of housing market
- Childcare costs through the roof
- Job market being disrupted by AI

Financial crisis → Pandemic → Cost-of-living crisis

25-34 year-olds: Just 23% doing well (29% actively struggling)

35-54 year-olds: Stuck around 31% for two decades

65+ year-olds: 48% doing well

That's more than double their younger counterparts.

Bodies like the AISI get this right by combining industry knowledge with academic independence. We need more of that, not less, especially when the stakes are so high to. We're essentially in a winner-takes-all race for AGI, but we shouldn't sacrifice public trust to get there faster. [3/3]

The current approach is backwards. We let companies lead on policy while academics and researchers get sidelined. Meanwhile, Trump's deregulatory push is creating a free-for-all that prioritises market cap over public interest. Hybrid governance models are the only sensible path forward. [2/3]

bsky.app/profile/andr...

Affecting even the Republican base

See the breakdowns by other demographics in our interactive tracker here: prolific-beta.shinyapps.io/prolific-pol...