78. When AI Becomes the Most Persuasive Voice in the Room – Petter Törnberg

When AI Starts Shaping What We Believe

We often blame social media algorithms for toxic polarization — for the outrage, the misinformation, the “us versus them” dynamic pulling society apart. But what if the real problem goes deeper than the algorithm?

In this episode, University of Amsterdam researcher Petter Törnberg explains why social media is broken by design — and why simply “fixing the feed” won’t solve outrage or polarization.

And now, a new technology is arriving that could reshape politics and public opinion even more profoundly than the platforms that came before:

AI systems that can influence our beliefs without us noticing.

This conversation will change the way you think about the future of media, power, and what autonomy means in a world where technology shapes how we see reality.

Text me your feedback and leave your contact info if you'd like a reply (this is a one-way text). Thanks, David

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Also check out our companion podcasts, This Week in Outrage and Outrage Science Bites.

Intro music and outro music by Michael Ramir C.

Many thanks to my co-editor and co-director, Austin Chen.

Outrage Overload, a Conners Institute podcast, is part of The Democr...