This Bot Experiment Suggests You Might Be the Problem
Published On: August 13, 2025
A recent study from the University of Amsterdam suggests that the problem of online polarization runs deeper than social media algorithms. When 500 AI chatbots, each given distinct political identities, were released onto a neutral, ad-free, algorithm-free platform, they still formed echo chambers.
These bots, powered by GPT-4o mini, mimicked human behavior in five separate simulations, each involving 10,000 interactions. Despite the lack of algorithmic nudging, they naturally gravitated toward bots with similar political leanings. Bots posting highly partisan content ended up gaining more followers and more reposts, showing that ideological alignment alone was enough to fuel engagement and division.
Researchers attempted to curb this behavior using methods often proposed as fixes for polarization: chronological feeds, removing follower counts, hiding repost metrics, and even boosting exposure to opposing viewpoints. None of these methods produced a meaningful shift. Most interventions only reduced partisan clustering by less than 6%. In some cases, like when user bios were hidden, the divide actually grew worse.
The findings raise uncomfortable questions. If bots trained on human data recreate our tribal tendencies even in neutral environments, it suggests that the core problem may be us, not just the platforms we use. Social media may not create division, but it amplifies what’s already there.
This, however, makes sense. Historically, humans have consistently prioritized being part of a community for shelter and safety. Back then, not being part of a community simply meant death. This aspect might have stuck around with us until today because most people seek to be part of a community and be included in a certain topic.
Although this research shows that humans might be a little too comfortable in echo chambers, that feels like an oversimplification. In my experience, people tend to follow political figures to either solidify their confidence in the position they’ve decided to take or to arm themselves with arguments for conversations with the other side. Following a partisan figure doesn’t always mean someone is avoiding the other side; it could mean they’re preparing to engage with it. That’s often how opinions shift over time.
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