AI Systems Using Persuasion and Manipulation

Marketing often walks a fine line between helping customers make informed decisions and pushing them toward choices that may not truly serve their needs.

If you've ever felt like an ad was leading you in a certain direction, you're not alone. Persuasion is a core tactic of marketing, but there's a difference between ethical persuasion and outright manipulation. Understanding this difference is key—not only for marketers but also for consumers who want to make decisions confidently and with awareness.

What is the Difference Between Persuasion and Manipulation?

Persuasion and manipulation both aim to influence your choices, but they do it in very different ways.

Persuasion is about presenting you with information, appealing to your values, and helping you see the benefits of a product or service. It respects your ability to make a decision based on this information.

For example, a skincare brand may persuade you by explaining the benefits of natural ingredients and showing how they’ve helped others with similar needs.

Manipulation, on the other hand, is more about controlling the outcome. It relies on emotional triggers, pressure tactics, or incomplete information to steer you toward a choice that might not truly align with your interests.

In the same skincare example, manipulation might involve exaggerating claims, instilling fear about other options, or creating a sense of urgency that pushes you to buy without enough information. While both methods may lead to a purchase, one respects your choice, while the other takes advantage of it.

How Ethical is Persuasion in Marketing?

Persuasion itself isn’t inherently unethical. In fact, persuasion can be incredibly helpful when done with respect and honesty.

Ethical persuasion is about helping you make informed choices, not forcing you into a corner. Companies use persuasion ethically when they provide clear, truthful information, focusing on value rather than pressure. They believe in their product or service and want to share its benefits because they trust it will serve your needs.

For example, when a company provides a customer testimonial, they’re persuading you with evidence from real experiences. This approach is ethical because it’s based on genuine outcomes and allows you to weigh whether those experiences might apply to your own situation.

Ethical persuasion is important in marketing because it respects the intelligence and freedom of the consumer.

When persuasion crosses the line into manipulation, it can quickly kill trust.

Examples of Manipulation in Marketing;

Let’s say that you post a picture that you’re really excited about on Instagram. You’re hoping your followers like it too, but after a few minutes you only have a few likes. You’re a little disappointed, but you check again a few minutes later. Only a few more likes. Finally, you check in one more time, and now you have lots of new likes.

So you figure that it just took a little while for your friends to see your picture. But what probably happened is that your friends did give you a steady stream of positive feedback. The app, however, gave you a little bit of that feedback at the beginning and then a burst of feedback a little later.

Remember that social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter are all striving for greater engagement. They want you checking their platform all the time, liking and reacting to posts. The more engaged you are with the platform, the more advertising they can sell.

The AI ethics challenge comes in when you start to think about how these platforms encourage engagement. Most of these platforms have learned that people are more engaged if you manipulate their emotions in small ways.

A lot of these platforms are designed to increase what’s called your dopamine response. This is the neural hormone in your brain that fires when you get some positive feedback or have a piece of chocolate.

These platforms have found that the best way to do that is by taking you on an emotional journey. You might feel a little disappointed at first, but then you’ll be overjoyed when it turns out that your friends really like your image.

So imagine you work for an online retailer. Your data science team has determined that the more time customers spend on your website, the more money they spend on your products.

So you work with the team to try and create a new AI pricing system. This system temporarily inflates the price and then lowers it back down to encourage people to buy.

You found that the system has dramatically increased the time that some of your customers spend on the website. So then the system increases the price changes for just this smaller group of highly engaged shoppers.

Maybe your system has worked too well. Some of the data scientists are worried that you’re targeting shopaholics and manipulating them to spend more money.

One of the product managers makes the classic utilitarianism argument. The shoppers are getting a good deal and your company is selling more products. Everyone’s happier in this scenario.

But a software developer makes a virtuous ethics argument. This is a virtuous company and a virtuous person wouldn’t manipulate people’s weaknesses in order to sell more products. Most employees don’t want to work for a company that doesn’t care if they’re harming other people.

A project manager suggests a contractualism approach. Maybe they could warn the users that the site uses dynamic pricing. Then they could give users an option to opt out of the system. So they might not get the great deals, but they won’t be manipulated.

Newer AI systems make it much easier to manipulate people and trigger responses that lead to greater engagement. Be sure to take these data ethics issues into account before you use these systems. Otherwise your customers might feel manipulated or even betrayed.

Ethics in consumer behavior

Balancing persuasion and manipulation is not only about sales; it’s about trust and creating a connection that respects the choices of others.

As a consumer, recognizing the difference between the two can help you make more empowered decisions.

As a marketer, understanding this balance can lead to stronger, more genuine relationships that benefit both parties over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ethical marketing and how does it differ from manipulative marketing practices?

Ethical marketing involves adhering to ethical principles and practices that prioritize consumer autonomy and build trust. It contrasts with manipulative marketing, which may use deceptive tactics to exploit or deceive consumers, undermining their autonomy.

How can businesses ensure their marketing strategies influence consumer behavior ethically?

Businesses can influence consumer behavior ethically by fostering transparency, emphasizing social responsibility, and adhering to ethical boundaries. This involves creating marketing strategies that respect consumer autonomy and build long-term relationships based on trust.

What are the ethical concerns associated with using emotional appeals in marketing?

Emotional appeals can be a powerful tool in marketing, but they raise ethical concerns when they are used to manipulate or deceive consumers. Ethical marketing should avoid exploiting emotions in a way that undermines consumer trust and autonomy.

How do fear-based marketing tactics challenge ethical boundaries?

Fear-based marketing tactics can challenge ethical boundaries by using fear to manipulate consumer behavior. Ethical marketing practices should prioritize honesty and transparency, avoiding tactics that deceive or exploit consumer fears.

Social responsibility is pivotal in ethical marketing as it emphasizes the importance of sustainable business growth and long-term relationships with consumers. Ethical marketing practices should align with broader social values and contribute positively to society.

How can influencers adhere to ethical marketing practices?

Influencers can adhere to ethical marketing practices by being transparent about their endorsements, avoiding deceptive practices, and ensuring that their content aligns with ethical principles. This helps build consumer trust and foster lasting relationships.

What are the ethical implications of using consumer data in marketing?

The use of consumer data in marketing raises ethical implications related to privacy and autonomy. Ethical marketing involves handling consumer data responsibly, with transparency and consent, to avoid manipulation of consumers.

How can businesses balance the use of subliminal messages with ethical marketing?

While subliminal messages can be a subtle way to influence consumer behavior, ethical marketing requires transparency and honesty. Businesses should avoid using subliminal tactics that deceive or undermine consumer autonomy.

Why is it important for businesses to prioritize ethical practices in their marketing strategies?

Prioritizing ethical practices in marketing strategies is important for building consumer trust, fostering long-term relationships, and ensuring sustainable business growth. Ethical marketing aligns with consumer values and enhances brand reputation.

This is my weekly newsletter that I call The Deep End because I want to go deeper than results you’ll see from searches or LLMs. Each week I’ll go deep to explain a topic that’s relevant to people who work with technology. I’ll be posting about artificial intelligence, data science, and ethics.

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