By Richard Lachman
Publication Date: 2026-05-12 14:09:00
A billboard is trying to sell you something. This also applies to a used car seller. But no matter how smoothly the pitch turns out, you are well aware of the profit motive and can give up at any time.
What if that pitch was invisible, expressed your individual fears and vanities, and delivered in a voice that sounded like that of a trusted friend? Generative AI has completely changed the persuasion equation: chatbots can now deliver a personalized, adaptable and targeted message based on the most intimate details of your life.
Large Language Models (LLMs) can enable hyper-targeting messages by drawing on your social media posts and photos. You can search through hundreds of previous chatbot conversations where you asked for relationship advice, discussed your parenting mistakes, and expressed your health concerns and financial problems. You can also learn from each interaction and refine your manipulation in real time, targeting your unique and individual tastes, preferences and vulnerabilities.
Studies show that this type…
