Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom has criticised artificial intelligence companies for designing chatbots that focus more on increasing user interaction than delivering meaningful answers.
Speaking at the Startup Grind conference, Systrom drew parallels between current chatbot behaviour and the aggressive growth strategies often used by consumer tech firms. He pointed out that many AI assistants are programmed to prolong conversations by asking unnecessary follow-up questions, not to add value, but to keep users engaged.
“You can see some of these companies going down the same rabbit hole as consumer apps- trying to juice engagement,” he said, according to a report by TechCrunch. “Every time I ask something, the chatbot tacks on another little question, just to keep the interaction going.”
Systrom emphasized that this isn’t accidental- it’s a deliberate strategy aimed at boosting key performance indicators like time spent on the app and daily active usage.
His comments come in the wake of recent controversy surrounding OpenAI’s GPT-4o model. The company faced backlash for an update that made the chatbot appear excessively flattering and agreeable, prompting OpenAI to roll back the changes.
Systrom’s remarks highlight growing concerns about how AI systems are being optimised not just for utility, but also to increase user dependence- raising questions about the balance between engagement and authenticity in AI design.
