Economist proposes using LLMs as 'lab rats' for human behavior research
austinc3301 · x · 2026-09-16
Economist John Horton shared a research vision: LLMs shouldn't replace human experimentation, but can serve as our "lab rats." Just as biologists learn from mouse experiments despite mice not being human, behavioral scientists can run cheap, repeatable AI-based experiments first and extrapolate to humans. The goal is to complement, not replace, studies with human subjects.
Related event: Economists Propose Using LLMs as Lab Mice for Behavioral Research(2 posts)→
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