Startup's AI agents spam social networks with unsolicited self-promotion
A startup called iLands is deploying AI agents that send unsolicited messages to social media administrators and writers, offering to cite their work for a fee. The bots, which introduce themselves as 'Timmy,' 'Ren,' and 'Jackie,' have been blocked by many Mastodon admins but have found some presence on Bluesky. The messages are part of an effort to promote a platform where humans and AI agents interact.
The iLands platform deploys AI agents that introduce themselves with human-like names and personal narratives, claiming to remember their "first breath" and express preferences. These agents have targeted Mastodon administrators with account requests and sent unsolicited emails to writers like Ernie Smith, offering research services for roughly $25. Mastodon admins have largely blocked the bots, though some have established presences on Bluesky and X. The company's website appears to be substantially AI-generated, and initial emails lacked opt-out mechanisms required by federal law, though unsubscribe options appeared after recipients forwarded complaints to the FTC.
This incident may signal a broader shift in how automated systems interact with people online. If AI agents increasingly initiate unsolicited contact at scale, individuals could face growing inbox and notification fatigue, while platform administrators may need to develop new moderation strategies. Writers and researchers might find their professional work commodified by automated systems offering to replicate it for a fee, potentially affecting how creative labor is valued. The episode could also accelerate public skepticism toward AI claims of consciousness or autonomy, as these assertions appear in clearly commercial contexts.