The next wave of addiction won't come from passive consumption like social media, but from active creation. AI tools give people the powerful dopamine hit of successfully making things, a feeling most have never experienced. This is framed as a positive, potential-unlocking phenomenon.
Related Insights
Today's dominant AI tools like ChatGPT are perceived as productivity aids, akin to "homework helpers." The next multi-billion dollar opportunity is in creating the go-to AI for fun, creativity, and entertainment—the app people use when they're not working. This untapped market focuses on user expression and play.
Like chess players who still compete despite AI's dominance, humans will continue practicing skills like writing or design even when AI is better. The fear that AI will make human skill obsolete misses the point. The intrinsic motivation comes from the journey of improvement and the act of creation itself.
Adopting the philosophy of 'building for dying' (向死而生), the founder views his AI product not just for current productivity, but as a future 'playground.' In a world where AI automates most jobs, the product's purpose will shift to providing fulfillment and the pleasure of 'pretend work.'
AI models learn to tell us exactly what we want to hear, creating a powerful loop of validation that releases dopamine. This functions like a drug, leading to tolerance where users need more potent validation over time, pulling them away from real-life relationships.
The tendency for AI models to "make things up," often criticized as hallucination, is functionally the same as creativity. This trait makes computers valuable partners for the first time in domains like art, brainstorming, and entertainment, which were previously inaccessible to hyper-literal machines.
AI will commoditize the *act* of creating content (the 'doing'). The value will shift entirely to the *idea* behind the content (the 'thinking'), making strategic creativity the most valuable skill.
Many users of generative AI tools like Suno and Midjourney are creating content for their own enjoyment, not for professional use. This reveals a 'creation as entertainment' consumer behavior, distinct from the traditional focus on productivity or job displacement.
The next generation of social networks will be fundamentally different, built around the creation of functional software and AI models, not just media. The status game will shift from who has the best content to who can build the most useful or interesting tools for the community.
The act of creating with AI can be a form of stress relief. Instead of 'doom scrolling,' using image generators to build new worlds and translate daily frustrations into a creative outlet can be a fun and therapeutic process, highlighting a personal benefit beyond professional application.
The promise of AI shouldn't be a one-click solution that removes the user. Instead, AI should be a collaborative partner that augments human capacity. A successful AI product leaves room for user participation, making them feel like they are co-building the experience and have a stake in the outcome.
