Interrogating AI: Characterizing Emergent Playful Interactions with ChatGPT

2024-01-16

Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction

AI Summary

This study investigates the emergence and significance of playful interactions in human-ChatGPT engagement. Drawing on 372 authentic user posts from Reddit, we employed thematic analysis guided by grounded theory principles to systematically identify and conceptualize six distinct categories of playful interaction: reflection, parody, imitation, challenge, deception, and world-building. Results indicate that 54% of the discussions centered on such interactions, underscoring their critical role in fostering users’ understanding of AI capabilities, negotiating AI agency, and shaping human-AI relational dynamics. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic framework characterizing playful behaviors in AI-mediated interaction. It addresses a key gap in HCI and AI research by providing an empirically grounded, theoretically extensible taxonomy. The framework offers actionable insights for designing explainable AI systems and advancing human-centered interaction paradigms.

Technology Category

• Humans and AI: Interaction Techniques and Devices
• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Social Cognition And Interaction
• Intelligent Robots: Human-Robot Interaction

Application Category

• Semantics and Knowledge: Data modeling to support human-machine intelligence, including LLMs agents, intelligent system behavior, explanations, and user-friendly interactions
• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Uses of LLMs and GenAI for marketplace design, bidding, and strategic interactions
• Social Networks and Social Media: Generative AI / large language models and their impact on social systems

Abstract

In an era of AI's growing capabilities and influences, recent advancements are reshaping HCI and CSCW's view of AI. Playful interactions emerged as an important way for users to make sense of the ever-changing AI technologies, yet remained underexamined. We target this gap by investigating playful interactions exhibited by users of a popular AI technology, ChatGPT. Through a thematic analysis of 372 user-generated posts on the ChatGPT subreddit, we found that more than half (54%) of user discourse revolved around playful interactions. The analysis further allowed us to construct a preliminary framework to describe these interactions, categorizing them into six types: reflecting, jesting, imitating, challenging, tricking, and contriving; each included sub-categories. This study contributes to HCI and CSCW by identifying the diverse ways users engage in playful interactions with AI. It examines how these interactions can help users understand AI's agency, shape human-AI relationships, and provide insights for designing AI systems.

Problem

• Investigating playful interactions with ChatGPT
• Characterizing emergent playful human-AI engagement
• Understanding playful interactions' role in shaping AI relationships

Innovation

• Thematic analysis of user-generated playful interactions
• Framework categorizing six types of interactions
• Insights for designing AI systems from interactions