Internship | Master graduation project: Dark Patterns in Chatbot behavior used for Online Influencing

Chatbots offer unparalleled opportunities to influence online users. Positively, they can act as lifestyle coaches to encourage healthy behaviors. More controversially, they can be used by companies to steer online dialogues to sell products. Unacceptable risks arise when chatbots target vulnerable groups and promote harmful behaviors, like eating disorders, suicide, or conspiracy thinking. To ensure chatbots are used responsibly, we must distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable uses. We do so by identifying behavioral patterns and capturing unacceptable behavior through “dark patterns”. This project aims to understand dark patterns, so we can better define acceptable and unacceptable chatbot behavior.

The research you will be a part of will consist of several stages:

1. Literature Review: Investigate existing literature on information campaigns, manipulative AI, and the ethical, legal, and social aspects (ELSA) of AI.
2. Psychological and Philosophical Foundations: Explore the psychological and philosophical underpinnings of manipulative behavior.
3. Description of Design Patterns: Develop well-described design patterns that encapsulate these manipulative behaviors.
4. Implementation: Implement these design patterns in AI agents using generative AI tools.
5. User Experiment Development: Design human test-subject experiment that addresses relevant research questions while adhering to ethical research standards.
6. Experimentation: Expose human test subjects to various behavior patterns in a controlled environment.
7. Data Analysis: Analyze the results and interpret the empirical evidence gathered from the experiments.

Within these stages, there is room to make your own contributions depending on your interests. The candidate will, at a minimum, actively contribute by implementing one or more AI agents and testing them with human participants.
This research is uniquely positioned as both a part of the Human-Machine Teaming department in Soesterberg and a part of the ELSA Lab Defence. Within the Human-Machine Teaming department, interns will have the opportunity to work with experts on topics related to Artificial Intelligence and Human-Machine Collaboration. Interns will furthermore be able to collaborate with other institutions through the ELSA Lab consortium, such as (among others) the Asser Institute in the Hague and universities like TU Delft and Tilburg.

We are looking for students interested in interdisciplinary work, who can communicate well with people from different backgrounds, and who can approach problems both at a practical and conceptual level. The student we are looking for:

• Is pursuing a Master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, or a similar field;
• Has experience with empirical research methods (setting up and conducting an experiment);
• Has experience with and can program large language models;
• Is familiar with the field of responsible/ethical AI, or willing to learn this.

You want an internship opportunity on the precursor of your career; an internship gives you an opportunity to take a good look at your prospective future employer. TNO goes a step further. It’s not just looking that interests us; you and your knowledge are essential to our innovation. That’s why we attach a great deal of value to your personal and professional development. You will, of course, be properly supervised during your work placement and be given the scope for you to get the best out of yourself. Furthermore, we provide:

• A highly professional, innovative internship environment, within a team of top experts.
• A suitable internship allowance (615 euro for wo-, hbo- and mbo-students, for a full-time internship).
• Possibility of eight hours of free leave per internship month (for a full-time internship).
• A free membership of Jong TNO, where you can meet other TNO professionals and join several activities, such as sports activities, (work-related) courses or the yearly ski-trip.
• Use of a laptop.
• An allowance for travel expenses in case you don’t receive an OV-card.

At TNO, we innovate for a healthier, safer and more sustainable life. And for a strong economy. Since 1932, we have been making knowledge and technology available for the common good. We find each other in wonder and ingenuity. We are driven to push boundaries. There is all the space and support for your talent and ambition. You work with people who will challenge you: who inspire you and want to learn from you. Our state-of-the-art facilities are there to realize your vision. What you do at TNO matters: impact makes the difference. Because with every innovation you contribute to tomorrow’s world. Read more about TNO as an employer.

At TNO we encourage an inclusive work environment, where you can be yourself. Whatever your story and whatever unique qualities you bring to the table. It is by combining our unique strengths and perspectives that we are able to develop innovations that make a real difference in society. Want to know more? Read what steps we are taking in the area of diversity and inclusion.

After the first CV selection, the application process will be conducted by the concerning department. TNO will provide a suitable internship agreement. If you have any questions about this vacancy, you can contact the contact person mentioned below.

Important to be aware of before applying:

• Before the start of the internship, the internship agreement from TNO needs to be signed. For students at a college or university based in the Netherlands, TNO uses the UNL-template (supplemented with a number of specific agreements from TNO). For students of foreign and MBO educational institutions, the TNO internship agreement applies. TNO does not sign any other internship agreements.
• Before the start of the internship, the educational institution will need to confirm in writing that:
  • 1) you are enrolled at the educational institution during the internship, and;
  • 2) the internship takes place as part of the programme of the study.
• The confirmation of educational institution takes place by signing the UNL template or forms prepared by TNO.
• Interns at TNO must be in possession of a Dutch residential address at the start of the internship. Performance of internship activities from abroad is not possible.