Imagine an advanced artificial intelligence system that accurately predicts your choices before you make them, and sells that valuable information to businesses. Researchers at the University of Cambridge warn that this disturbing scenario, which seems to be science fiction, could actually play out in what they call the "economy of intent." In this new market system, human will and motivation will be commoditized and become the tradable currency of the digital age. This economy not only challenges our understanding of personal privacy, but may also reshape our understanding of our own will and choice.

"Unless regulated, the intentional economy will see your motivation as the new currency." It will be a gold rush for those who target, direct and sell human intent, "warns Dr Jonnie Penn, a technology historian at the University of Cambridge's Centre for Future Intelligence (LCFI).

Researchers believe that the rise of conversational artificial intelligence and chatbots is creating unprecedented opportunities for social manipulation. These systems will combine knowledge of our online habits with sophisticated personality mimicry, building deep trust while gathering intimate psychological data through casual conversation.

"What people say during a conversation, how they say it, and the types of real-time inferences that result are much more intimate than a record of online interactions," explains Dr. Yaqub Chaudhary, a visiting fellow at LCFI.

Big tech companies are already laying the groundwork for that future. OpenAI calls for "data that can express human intent across any language, topic, and format." Apple's new developer framework includes protocols to "anticipate the actions a person may take in the future." Meanwhile, Nvidia's CEO has openly discussed using AI language models to figure out intentions and desires.

"Before we fall victim to its unintended consequences, we should begin to consider the possible effects of such a market on human aspirations," warns Jonnie Penn.

While the researchers acknowledge that this future is not inevitable, they stress the need for immediate public attention and discussion. "Public awareness of what's coming is key to making sure we don't go down the wrong path." Penn concluded.

The study was published in the Harvard Data Science Review.