Persuasion and Safety in the Era of Generative AI

Abstract: As LLMs achieve advanced persuasive capabilities, concerns about their potential risks have grown. The EU AI Act prohibits AI systems that use manipulative or deceptive techniques to undermine informed decision-making, highlighting the need to distinguish between rational persuasion, which engages reason, and manipulation, which exploits cognitive biases. My dissertation addresses the lack of empirical studies in this area by developing a taxonomy of persuasive techniques, creating a human-annotated dataset, and evaluating LLMs' ability to distinguish between these methods. This work contributes to AI safety by providing resources to mitigate the risks of persuasive AI and fostering discussions on ethical persuasion in the age of generative AI.