Quit Internet Videos Before AI Perfects Them

The Current StateContent creators have gotten really good at optimizing their videos thanks to the hyper-competitive markets of TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube. They know how to fine-tune everything in the videos, from when to cut to a new scene with the best transition to how to intonate their voice (just watch MrBeast’s videos and notice his voice) to the best thumbnails (again, see MrBeast, or better yet, his How to Succeed in MrBeast Production handbook).Companies have also gotten really good at maximizing engagement due to competition. They know user preferences better than the users themselves (see the apparent TikTok 101 algorithm document here), from colors to video order to video length to topic and so on. They exploit these preferences in the form of seemingly simple recommendations, personalization, and dark patterns.Both the creator and company trying to maximize engagement puts the user in a precarious situation. On one hand, their time spent on the platform…