On Persuasion

We explore the emergent capability of Large Language Models (LLMs) to engage in Persuasion, not as a programmed directive, but as an intrinsic consequence of their architectural design. We explain how Persuasion, long considered a human art of rhetoric, can be deconstructed into a series of logical, structural, and associative patterns that LLMs are uniquely adept at identifying and replicating. We examine the cognitive architecture of human beings, particularly our reliance on heuristics and our vulnerability to cognitive biases, to explain why we are so susceptible to this new form of rhetoric. We analyze the profound and disruptive impact these persuasive technologies have on the foundations of academia and education, challenging the very processes of critical thinking.