AI Content and the War for Your Attention

What happens when AI starts generating content for everyone—and no one wants to watch it? In this episode, MSNBC’s Chris Hayes and ad tech veteran Antonio García Martínez join a16z General Partner, Erik Torenberg to unpack the shifting economics of attention: from the rise of “AI slop” and spammy feeds to the difference between what we want to pay attention to and what platforms push on us. They explore:How AI changes what gets created and what gets seenWhy internet ads still mostly suckThe return of group chats—and the slow death of mass culture Based on Chris’s new book The Sirens Call, this is a candid look at what AI might amplify or break in our online lives.   Timecodes: 0:00 Introduction  1:47 Meet the Guests: Chris Hayes & Antonio Garcia Martinez 3:01 The Economics of Attention & AI Slop 6:38 Acquisition vs. Retention: The Attention Challenge 10:01 Fame, Identity, and Social Media Fragmentation 13:21 The Group Chat Solution & Privacy 16:01 Business Models, Community, and Technology 19:01 Mass Culture, Fragmentation, and the Algorithm 23:01 Ad Tech, Personalization, and Advertising Effectiveness 29:01 The Future: AI, Growth, and Abundance   Resources:  Find Chris on X: https://x.com/chrislhayes Find Antonio on X: https://x.com/antoniogm Learn more about Chris’ book ‘The Sirens' Call’: https://sirenscallbook.com/ Learn more about Antonio’s book ‘Chaos Monkeys’: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/chaos-monkeys-antonio-garcia-martinez?variant=32207601532962   Stay Updated:  Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/ Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.