Escaping the sad AI internet

Chaos and overwhelm now define many people’s experience on the internet — whether they know it or not. We’re flooded with short-form video and pinged constantly with breaking news. Many people, especially Gen A and Gen Z, are swiping and scrolling all day long. The lines between digital leisure and news consumption are fuzzy. You may hop on TikTok or Instagram to kill some time but end up being triggered by some take on what’s happening in the world. And increasingly, that scrolling will include AI-generated slop.

While most news organizations have abandoned a pure page-view business model, many news product teams still spend a lot of time optimizing for digital habit and engagement. Unfortunately, that digital “habit” can make people miserable.

We’re starting to see some people rebel against product strategies designed for digital addiction. People’s continued reliance on platforms shouldn’t necessarily be confused with satisfaction.

Look at the digital canary in the coal mine: dating. Daters are increasingly waking up to the reality that dating apps are designed to just keep them swiping. AI features further reduce “friction” but don’t translate to actual connection. Apps have become algorithmic hellholes optimized for premium subscription conversion. Sound familiar?

In the Chicago area, where I live, and elsewhere, we’re seeing an explosion of engagement in in-person gatherings and events, partially driven by smart startups that understand events as part of a larger product and engagement ecosystem. Startups like 222 are reimagining the dating app and getting people hanging out IRL. Chicago arts organization Gertie launched “EarlyWork” — a club for the creative curious whose main benefit is twice-monthly meet ups at galleries and shows around the city. And when federal immigration agents hit the city this fall, mutual aid groups mobilized to organize “whistlemania” events, bringing out thousands of Chicagoans to immigrant-owned businesses to pack whistles and know your rights packages.

It might seem analogous, but these examples show that people are motivated to escape the doomscrolling to “do things” in person. This is not a rant about evolving technology or trying to return to a pre-digital yesteryear; (people find out about the events online, usually on social, and post-event engagement also happens via digital products) but to think differently about how digital and IRL experiences work together in news.

Many news organizations already host events, but many of those events are designed by advertising or marketing teams specifically for sponsors and not integrated with a larger product/audience strategy. That usually means news events follow the same format. Light bites and drinks. A panel discussion followed by mingling. Most attendees are loyalists — a small group of people who care deeply about news. Instead of tired formats, we need to think about how to broaden our audience to consumers thirsting for high-quality, socially engaged IRL experiences.

In the next year, we’ll see more news orgs breaking the classic wine-and-panel format to invest in events as a key part of a larger product ecosystem. We’ll see events become more widespread, to extend storytelling and integrate with core product strategies. Local nonprofit newsrooms will increasingly host meet ups designed to reach news-averse audiences, not just the civically engaged. Major national publishers will go beyond once-a-year summits to smaller pop-up events to reach new audiences in new geographies and communities. We’ll see product teams, not just marketing teams, get in the mix to integrate events with overarching membership or subscription strategies. We’ll also see deeper digital and IRL integration — going beyond QR codes to newsletter signups — to help attendees discover and experience digital products.

A glimpse into that future:

• NC Local is leaning into events as a key product strategy. The NC Local team hosted “Heart of the Mountains,” a night of stories and storytelling to commemorate the anniversary of Hurricane Helene. They’re also hosting more casual meet ups — listening sessions at a library, or convening local communities at the neighborhood brewery.
• The Composition Collective, which I started with Abby Reimer last year, hosted a premiere party for a new HBCU documentary “Opportunity, Access & Uplift,” that aired on PBS affiliates. Our Chicago collectivists designed the sold-out event to go beyond just loyal audiences to become a night of celebration and joy for HBCU grads. The night included a DJ, drinks, plenty of food and a curated HBCU photo exhibit. A similar live screening and party is coming to college campuses next year.

Many predictions are more like wishlists than true forecasts. So I’ll put my dream out there: News organizations have a role that goes beyond informing or educating. They can inspire, connect, spark action, and help people escape the oversaturated AI internet. Events can help us do that, but only if we truly understand audiences and design events with a product mindset.