Miranda, a representative from the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT), has expressed concerns about personalized AI systems in an op-ed first published in Rising Tide on July 21, 2025. Miranda highlights that while these technologies promise to enhance user experience by remembering preferences and context, they might repeat some of the negative patterns observed with social media and targeted advertising.
The op-ed underscores the potential harms associated with AI-driven personalization. Miranda notes that despite initial discussions about catastrophic risks associated with AI, much of her work has focused on real-world impacts already affecting society. Her research points out that automated systems have influenced crucial decisions regarding individuals' livelihoods, housing opportunities, economic security, healthcare access, and personal freedom.
According to Miranda, products using machine learning and AI have been customizing user experiences based on perceived interests and circumstances. While marketed as making technology more "relevant" and "helpful," such personalization has also led to manipulation and discrimination. This includes guiding users toward polarized content through video recommendations and reinforcing financial exclusion by limiting information about housing options due to ingrained stereotypes.
The full article is available for those interested in exploring this issue further.