AI-powered video generators fuel risk of endless scrolling: Report

By Ilayda Cakirtekin

ISTANBUL (AA) - A Danish researcher warned Sunday that new AI-powered video generators could increase the risk of users getting trapped in endless scrolling, Danish broadcaster DR reported.

Nicklas Brendborg told DR that artificial intelligence (AI) already influences most videos on social media, especially since OpenAI — the company behind ChatGPT — launched its new generator Sora, similar to Meta’s recently released Vibes.

Reaffirming that it is not unusual for social media to steal people's time and attention, he warned that AI-generated content could make it even harder for users to put down their phones.

"At this point, AI-generated videos are still a bit unreliable in many cases, but with the amount of money and talent out there, it's just a matter of time. And there's no doubt that this is going to steal people's hearts," he said.

Brendborg said apps such as Sora and Vibes could tailor videos based on user behavior to make disengagement nearly impossible.

"You will be able to sit and make changes in the video. And find out that many people click out or close the app at exactly this time, so you can try to make a few changes," he noted.

He compared Al-powered social media to a "one-armed thief," meaning a slot machine, saying both exploit the brain's reward system to keep users hooked despite repeated losses or endless scrolling.

To help prevent such addiction, he recommended turning phone screens to black and white to reduce visual appeal, blocking the most attention-consuming apps, and avoiding the phone first thing in the morning.