Communication experiment with moral-based chatbot: toward solution of divisions in democracy

This manuscript presents the design and implementation of a chatbot integrated with moral foundations, to explore its influence on addressing divisions in democratic societies. The study uses generative AI to simulate conversations that embody specific moral viewpoints, categorized into Individualizing and Binding foundations from Moral Foundations Theory. These chatbots engage participants in discussions on an ideologically sensitive topic, nuclear abolition, to observe the impact on communication dynamics and opinion formation. The experiment, conducted with participants in Japan, shows that the chatbots effectively conveyed their designed moral foundations and influenced how participants perceived and interacted with them. Only a limited number of participants were able to identify the partner as an AI. The Individualizing chatbot, which emphasizes individual rights and welfare, were associated with more positive interpersonal impressions than the Binding chatbot, which emphasizes group cohesion and social order. Furthermore, the study shows that discussions with these chatbots can significantly change participants’ opinions on the issues under discussion, demonstrating the potential for and cautions against AI-driven tools in ideological intervention and moral education. The findings argue for the careful development and use of AI in addressing societal divides, highlighting both the potential benefits and ethical challenges.