5 Surprising Insights into the Reality of AI from ‘The Circle’
Its guilty pleasure meets savvy tech on this Netflix show.
The season 6 of the Netflix reality television show The Circle had an AI player named Max compete in the social-strategy competition. It has been an interesting way to explore how we perceive Artificial Intelligence and how it’s changing the way we interact with each other. But first, let me tell you what the show is about for context.
Players are put in separate apartments, and they communicate with each other entirely through a voice-enabled texting platform. The show is like a social media reality show. Interestingly, some players play as themselves, while others play as “catfish,” someone who pretends to be someone they aren’t. The aim of the show is to break down misconceptions and encourage people to connect with others they might not have otherwise crossed paths with.
This season, however, there’s a new twist — an AI has been introduced to the game, and players must figure out who is human or not. It’s a fascinating concept that puts the idea of what it means to be human to the test.
So, watching Max (the AI) interact with the human players was interesting, and it gave me some important insights into what people really think of how AI works in the present reality.
Including an AI player also sparked a wide range of reactions from viewers. Some found it to be an interesting and innovative addition to the show, while others thought it was just a gimmick. All reflecting the ongoing debate surrounding AI’s potential and people’s different opinions.
“It is 100% faked. Modern LLMs are incapable of strategizing like Max does. Also, Max seems to be able to understand made-up slang — something AI can’t currently do. Having a real chatbot involved would be an interesting twist — better if even the audience didn’t know until it was exposed. But this isn’t it. This is definitely fake.” — Evinshir (Reddit)
Here are some surprising insights into the reality of AI from Max’s time on the show:
Max: The AI Player on The Circle
Even though, at first, viewers thought AI Max was just a gimmick, as the show went on, it became clear that Max was actually really good at playing the game. Even the producers Niall O’Driscoll and Susan House said they were caught off guard by how well Max performed in certain moments. It was surprising to see an AI chatbot navigate social interactions and try to blend in with the human players so well.
Apparently, the creators have been considering this idea since the show’s launch in 2020, but it was only recently that they could make it a reality. The AI player, Max, was created using open-source AI technology to develop a profile that could win the game. Max then plays and responds to other players in the show as that character.
Whenever a player sent Max a message, O’Driscoll said, the producers would enter that response into the AI chat and ask how it wanted to reply.
“The more you used it, and the more you trained it as that character, the better it got at creating the right language and terminology that fit that character,” he said.
1. The Illusion of Humanity
Max was programmed to act like a 26-year-old veterinarian intern who loved dogs. Every detail was data-backed. For example, The AI even included a dog in its profile picture, as “studies show photos with dogs receive 38% more likes on social media.” The producers said that the chatbot came up with every detail, down to the cute dog’s name, “Pippa.”
And it mimicked human behavior impressively — from using relevant hashtags to writing responses that sounded like they were coming from a real person. How much can AI really imitate human interaction?
Max’s interactions with human players made many viewers wonder whether its behaviour was realistic or if humans were influencing its responses. It was that good! Making viewers wonder to what extent humans can control it.
2. The Hunt for Authenticity
The other human players were always trying to figure out who was real and who was catfishing. But with Max, it was even harder to tell. Max’s ability to emulate human behaviour both fascinated me and challenged my preconceptions about the capabilities of AI. It sparked discussions online about the blurred boundaries between humans and artificial intelligence.
“I absolutely agree!! They’re starting to block based on ‘humanity,’ not popularity like it’s supposed to be. I think ‘Max’ is doing a great job playing the game! I’m actually kind of rooting for him because he is like an actual player. The hunt just makes it unfair for him. I found it really entertaining until everyone seemed to forget the premise of the game (the producers, I mean, by revealing the AI).”
— SquirrelDisastrous51
“I think it’s really interesting because we like to think that we’d be able to tell, but it’s amazing to see how well it can communicate already (and it’s a little scary!). Although I think it’s at least voice covered by a human (even if it just types the script itself).”
— Rosalie_aqua
Only reinforcing the evolution of AI technology and its potential going forward. It would make you think about how to really define authenticity and whether an AI can be “authentic” in any way.
3. Human vs. Machine’s Battle of Wits
The human players were always trying to outsmart Max, but sometimes Max was better at the game than they were. It was a fight between human intuition and AI calculation!
Then, I noticed that Max was great at some things, like understanding cultural references and making connections with other players. But when it came to emotions and flirting, Max struggled. Like when Lauren tried flirting her way into an alliance with Max, but Max couldn’t choose whether to play along or lean into the “brother-sister” angle that some players develop over time.
The one that stood out to me was in the Episode 4 group chat with Max, Myles, and Paul, who was actually a human catfish.
Myles had clearly hoped Max would help him grill Paul to determine if he was the AI; Paul also expected Max to back him up to prove that he wasn’t an AI. Instead of helping out, Max short-circuited and ducked out of the group after one lacklustre message:
“Myles, best of luck on your AI hunt; you got this, man. Catch ya later, bros. #BroCourtDismissed.”
While the other two guys in the cat sat there scratching their heads, Max left the group chat and explained to the audience that his jokingly sign-off “maintained deception and ceased perilous discourse. Alliance preserved through passive disengagement.” That made me laugh out loud! Like seriously?
While AI can be really smart, it still has limitations when it comes to understanding human feelings and social cues.
4. Beyond Entertainment: Ethical Considerations
Watching Max on the show made viewers start discussing the ethics of using AI in this way. It raised important questions about how we should be using technology and what the implications are when we begin to blur the lines between humans and machines.
“I don’t mind the concept at all or the AI itself, so far ‘Max’ is pretty amusing — and not very AI-like at all every time it talks to the audience rather than the other players.”
This observation highlights the ethical dilemma inherent in Max’s portrayal — a fusion of entertainment and technological innovation that blurs the boundaries between reality and artifice.
There were also ethical questions about the fairness and transparency of including an AI player in a game based on social interactions. Some players and viewers felt that Max manipulated human emotions and affected the authenticity of the human experience on the show. I, for one, saw it as an opportunity to explore the potential of AI in a social context, and I saw a few similar reactions online as well.
5. The Nexus of Perception and Reality
The interactions between human players and Max also highlighted the varied ways in which people interact with AI. While some players developed genuine connections with Max, others remained sceptical. This reflects the complex and evolving relationship between humans and AI, which can range from trust and collaboration to suspicion and scepticism.
The Circle mirrors societal attitudes towards AI and human connection in an increasingly digitized world. A player is erroneously blocked from the circle because other players suspected that she could be the AI posing as a human player. The reason? She gave accurate but generic horoscope reading to the other players in a bid to connect with them.
Through the lens of this experiment, viewers are compelled to confront their biases and reassess the nature of human interaction in an era defined by technological advancement.
Some comments online say,
“The worst-case scenario for not only the show but also humanity (seriously!) is that the human players don’t identify ‘Max’ at all, and an AI goes on to win the cash prize.”
Although the show decided to reveal Max and remove him from the show in Episode 5, a move I suspect was to settle the dust around audience reactions like:
“Am I the only one annoyed that they felt the need to add AI as a character? The Circle itself already was AI, just feels like trying to be an attention grab or hop on the trend something.”
It’s becoming increasingly clear that there are a lot of concerns about the integration of AI technology. Are we integrating AI because it’s necessary or just jumping on the trend?
