Dopamine Culture and AI – A Perfect Match?
We live in an era where instant gratification increasingly shapes human behavior. We know the feeling of doomscrolling social media for the dopamine kicks, planning on posting something in social media to get the precious likes and comments our ego so desperately likes. Or how it feels to search two, three or even four streaming platforms for a movie for a Friday night, and everything just feels “meh”.
Social media notifications, instant messages, recommendation algorithms, and a constant stream of stimuli keep our dopamine system perpetually activated. I am endlessly entertained, hand glued to my phone, but still feel depleted.
Since 2023 we’ve seen the avalanche of GenAI tools and LLM’s that promise the same kind of instant gratification by making us working and thinking less, and producing more, well, noise essentially.
Isn’t AI just another tool for the dopamine culture?
The Intersection of AI and Dopamine Culture
AI is designed to optimize user experience by delivering precisely the content we want—preferably as quickly as possible. This reinforces a dopamine-driven behavior pattern, where the brain seeks short, repetitive sources of pleasure.
I have to admit myself, having been working in management consulting and tech the recent years, I use plenty of GenAI tools in my daily workflow. Even now, Grammarly is underlining sentences and words that could be worded out better, being the non-native English speaker that I am.
Some claim, that AI will help us be more productive. Optimistic estimates and studies have shown how productive we can be, but at the same time it feels like we have entered a pie eating contest where the prize is more pie.
Eliminating Friction – and making everything a copy of a copy
AI makes many processes easier and faster. Food deliveries, automated responses, and AI-assisted search results remove barriers that previously required more cognitive effort. We live in a world filled with technology ja user interfaces that take up space in our heads. While this may feel convenient in the short term, over time, it reduces our tolerance for waiting and effort. And it shows already. Our attention span has reduced remarkably and younger generations complain in school, when they have read “old' school” books. Books that require attention span. (Read more 1, 2, 3, 4.) Some call it “the popcorn brain phenomenon”.
Recommendation algorithms, such as TikTok’s For You page or Spotify’s playlists, are built to maximize user engagement. AI learns what keeps us hooked and adjusts content accordingly to generate the highest dopamine spikes. Some even claim that tech giants like Spotify and TikTok have “ruined their taste in music”. The TikTok algorithm makes you feel it know you better than anyone else, and other platforms are trying to mimc the experience – but they are failing.
Is AI Just a Dopamine-Feeding Machine?
AI itself is not the problem, but its development aligns with a culture that conditions people to expect instant satisfaction. This can affect our ability to focus, sustain long-term effort, and even increase dissatisfaction when stimuli are not constantly available.
It affects the way we practice critical thinking – sometimes even unconsciously due conversational UI design (check my post about anthropormizing AI).
Generative AI can be your sparring partner, help you design better products and services, help a starting entrepreneur with targeted ads, and design emotionally engaging experiences that deeply resonate with users’ needs. This can create an intensifying loop where we continuously seek stronger and more stimulating inputs.
Harder, faster, better? What can we do?
I’m a scifi nerd by heart, and I’ve seen my “Her”, “Terminator”, “Transcendence”, and “Ex Machina” movies. I know by hear all the dystopian options available for us – and for the tech giants developing these products. What truly fascinates me, is how slowly these services and products become normalised things in our everyday lives. How little do we question, when the dopamine rush kicks in and it feels so nice.
But there are few things we can do as consumers of tech products:
Recognize when AI is shaping our behavior and ask whether it provides real value or just momentary pleasure.
Build habits that require patience and deep focus. If GenAI is helping ou work faster and be more productive, be mindful about the things you use your freed time for.
Give our brains the space to be bored and exist without constant stimulation. (I have to admit, this is hard even for myseld.)
AI can be either a tool or a trap—it all depends on how we use it.
How do you experience AI’s impact on your daily life? Does it make things easier, or does it create restlessness? Let’s continue the conversation in the comments.