AI Tools May Soon Influence Your Online Decisions

Artificial intelligence is all the rage these days, but it’s not just about cool chatbots or tools that summarize articles. According to researchers at the University of Cambridge, AI tools could soon play a major role in influencing decisions we make online—everything from what we buy to how we vote.

What Is the “Intention Economy”?

Researchers at Cambridge’s Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence (LCFI) have highlighted an emerging concept called the intention economy.

So, what is it? Simply put, it’s an economy where your motivations, desires, and intentions become a kind of currency. Unlike the attention economy, which focuses on keeping you glued to platforms like Facebook and Instagram, the intention economy goes deeper.

AI tools, powered by technologies like large language models (LLMs), could analyse your behaviour, predict your intentions, and even guide you toward specific decisions. For example, imagine AI assistants suggesting products, booking flights, or even steering your political opinions—all tailored to what they know about you.

How Does It Work?

These AI tools won’t just guess your intentions—they’ll leverage behavioural, psychological, and contextual data. Picture this:

• You search for a hotel.
• An AI assistant picks up on this and suggests deals.
• Behind the scenes, companies are bidding for your attention and intent in real time.

This is what researchers call “dynamic intent-driven advertising.” It’s not just about showing you ads but influencing your choices in a way that feels seamless and personalised.

Potential Risks of AI Tools in Decision-Making

The possibilities sound exciting, but researchers, like Dr. Jonnie Penn from LCFI, warn about the darker side of this AI revolution. He explains:
“Unless regulated, the intention economy will treat your motivations as the new currency. It will be a gold rush for those who target, steer, and sell human intentions.”

If left unchecked, the intention economy could:

• Undermine free and fair elections by steering political opinions.
• Challenge market competition by prioritising businesses that pay the highest bid.
• Disrupt human aspirations by commodifying personal choices.

The Role of Generative AI in All This

AI models like Meta’s Cicero already showcase what’s possible. Cicero has demonstrated “human-level” negotiation skills in games like Diplomacy, which rely heavily on predicting and influencing opponents' intentions.

Imagine this applied to real-world scenarios. AI tools could dynamically adapt their responses based on live user interactions. For businesses, this means crafting hyper-personalised campaigns. For users? It might feel like they’re having conversations with AI tools that know them better than they know themselves.

Read Also: Generative AI in Marketing: Crafting Personalized Ads at Scale

What Can We Do to Stay Safe?

The study highlights the need for early regulations and awareness to protect users in this evolving digital landscape. Here’s what you can do to stay ahead:

• Be mindful of how much data you share online.
• Use privacy tools and ad blockers to limit tracking.
• Question suggestions or prompts that seem overly personalised—whose interest are they serving?

The Future of Artificial Intelligence in Business and Beyond

AI is undeniably shaping the future. Tools that anticipate your intentions could transform industries, from business to advertising. However, as with any powerful technology, there’s a fine line between innovation and exploitation.

As consumers, staying informed is the first step. And as businesses adopt AI to target intentions, ethical considerations will need to be front and centre.

The big question remains: Are we ready for the intention economy? Or will we become passive participants in a marketplace where our choices are subtly but powerfully influenced?