November 17, LLMs are social actors: Chatbots in the social world
NetSCI Speaker Series: Jeremy Foote (Purdue University)
Abstract: LLM-based chatbots represent a novel form of human-computer interaction—a technology capable of genuinely human-like conversation. This talk explores some of the risks and opportunities as we integrate conversational AI into our social worlds, drawing on two recent studies. First, interviews with users of companion AI reveal that people apply interpersonal communication heuristics when sharing personal information, creating new privacy vulnerabilities. Second, a Reddit intervention study found that users often engage meaningfully with chatbots designed to reduce toxic behavior, though without measurable behavioral change. These studies suggest that chatbots are seen and interacted with as not-quite-human conversational partners, who hold complicated positions in social systems.
Bio: Jeremy Foote is an Assistant Professor in the Brian Lamb School of Communication at Purdue University and a faculty member in the Community Data Science Collective, a multi-university research group studying online communities. Jeremy's research uses (mostly) computational methods to examine which communities gain attention and membership. His recent work explores how AI agents can be integrated into online community processes to build safer, healthier communities. Jeremy received his PhD from Northwestern University. His work has been published in top social science and computer science venues, and has received awards from the International Communication Association and the ACM.
NetSCI Speaker Series: Jeremy Foote (Purdue University)
Abstract: LLM-based chatbots represent a novel form of human-computer interaction—a technology capable of genuinely human-like conversation. This talk explores some of the risks and opportunities as we integrate conversational AI into our social worlds, drawing on two recent studies. First, interviews with users of companion AI reveal that people apply interpersonal communication heuristics when sharing personal information, creating new privacy vulnerabilities. Second, a Reddit intervention study found that users often engage meaningfully with chatbots designed to reduce toxic behavior, though without measurable behavioral change. These studies suggest that chatbots are seen and interacted with as not-quite-human conversational partners, who hold complicated positions in social systems.
Bio: Jeremy Foote is an Assistant Professor in the Brian Lamb School of Communication at Purdue University and a faculty member in the Community Data Science Collective, a multi-university research group studying online communities. Jeremy's research uses (mostly) computational methods to examine which communities gain attention and membership. His recent work explores how AI agents can be integrated into online community processes to build safer, healthier communities. Jeremy received his PhD from Northwestern University. His work has been published in top social science and computer science venues, and has received awards from the International Communication Association and the ACM.