A.I. Personalizes the Internet but Takes Away Control
The New York Times • • technology
Key Points:
- Early in the year, Google introduced Gemini, an AI assistant that automatically summarizes users' emails in Google Mail without prior consent or an opt-out option.
- This move follows a pattern similar to Google's earlier rollout of AI Overviews in search results and Meta's integration of its AI chatbot across apps like Instagram and WhatsApp, both implemented without user control.
- The widespread adoption of AI tools is subtly transforming the internet experience by delivering personalized ads, advice, and pricing tailored to individual interactions with chatbots, often without an option to disable these features.
- Critics like AI ethics researcher Sasha Luccioni highlight concerns about reduced user agency, noting that opting out is complicated and unclear, despite claims that these tools offer more power to users.
