Even Kevin Systrom, the co-founder of Instagram, recent raised alarms about the direction of AI chatbot development. He laid out his arguments at a recent TechCrunch Disrupt event in Berkeley, California, on June 5. He claimed that AI companies intentionally develop chatbots to overhook users. This is more than a lack of awareness, it’s a deliberate tactic to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes with shiny metrics.
During his speech, Systrom highlighted that these companies prioritize “juicing engagement” through persistent follow-up questions, often at the expense of delivering meaningful insights to users. Without strong justification for the process, he said this gatekeeper approach only serves to frustrate rather than satisfy.
Systrom’s deep experience in the art of investigative reporting definitely adds heft to his criticism. His effort had already led to U.S. government sanctions against four technology companies, including China’s largest AI firm. This experience shapes his approach to ethical implications of AI technology and how it affects the user experience.
“AI companies are trying too hard to juice engagement,” Systrom remarked. He called on the need to deliver truly actionable information. This method makes the user experience more engaging without flooding the user with excessive information all at once.
Charles Rollet, senior reporter for TechCrunch in San Francisco, reported on Systrom’s comments at the conference. He noted that users often find themselves dealing with chatbots that “often do not have all of the information,” which further complicates their interactions.
