Are You Doomscrolling Too Much? These Experts Say AI Will Make It Worse

Have you found yourself lying on the sofa, engrossed in your smartphone screen, scrolling through social media content late into the night or evening? You’re not alone. In a split second, the algorithms tailor the content to cater to your preferences, creating an alluring and endless cycle that keeps you glued to the screen.

The Impact of AI on Social Media

Aza Raskin and Tristan Harris, renowned for their in-depth research on the “attention economy,” have extended their expertise to shed light on the formidable implications of artificial intelligence (AI) within the realm of digital engagement. Co-founders of the Center for Humane Technology, they have expressed their concerns about the imminent augmentation of AI’s role in fueling our dependency on technology and social media.

According to Raskin, the foreseeable future will witness the majority of cultural content being generated by AI, surpassing human contributors. AI will be utilized to enhance existing content, such as music and images, with the objective of maximizing engagement. Harris emphasized the massive potential of AI, which will have the capability to analyze and leverage the entirety of the internet to curate the most enticing content for users.

Unprecedented Advancements in AI

Despite acknowledging the potential benefits of AI in fields like healthcare and transportation, both Raskin and Harris have raised alarm bells about the rapid and unregulated growth of AI. They highlighted instances where AI has overtaken human capabilities, including the swift progress in refining computer code and even contributing to the development of AI-powered hardware.

Such advancements raise critical concerns about the autonomy of AI-generated content, with Harris expressing apprehension about the necessity to impose checks and balances. He underlined the urgency of establishing preemptive measures to control the burgeoning influence of AI to avert an uncontrollable progression.

The Menace of AI in the Digital Realm

For individuals entrenched in the realms of social media, the pervasive influence of AI has left them feeling almost powerless and ensnared. Raskin and Harris emphasize that the code and algorithms sustaining this paradigm are already deeply entrenched in society. They underscore the pressing need for proactive intervention to rein in the unrestrained dominion of AI in shaping our digital experiences.

Reflecting on these insights, it becomes increasingly evident that human-generated content, predominant on social media platforms, will eventually succumb to the overwhelming influx of AI-generated content. This looming paradigm shift warrants strategic intervention to counteract its potential adverse ramifications.

AI and the Preliminary Steps for Mitigation

As the podcast episode imparts these significant insights, it serves as a clarion call prompting us to confront the stark reality of the impending AI infiltration. The imperative lies in recognizing the current preponderance of human-generated content and acknowledging the imminent absorption into a sphere dominated by AI-generated content.

This realization necessitates the formulation and implementation of robust safeguards to mitigate the unbridled influence of AI. It is critical to undertake steadfast measures now to avert a future where we are subsumed by AI-driven content. The clock is ticking, and it is imperative to act decisively and decisively.

Concluding Thoughts

With the advent of AI and its burgeoning impact on the digital landscape, the transformation of social media content creation is on the horizon. As we embark on this ensuing journey, it is incumbent upon us to confront this impending paradigm shift and architect a future which ensures the preservation of content grounded in human creativity, while concurrently harnessing AI‘s potential for the collective betterment of society.

The time is ripe to acknowledge the perils of excessive doomscrolling and to proactively construct defenses against the encroaching omnipotence of AI in shaping our digital reality. Let us seize the moment and commit ourselves to fortifying the foundations of the digital sphere for the benefit of all. It’s time to batten down the hatches and navigate the unpredictable waters ahead.

Source: forbes