During the BRIDGE Summit held in Abu Dhabi on Monday, Alexis Ohanian, co-founder and former executive chairman of Reddit as well as a founding partner at the venture capital firm Seven Seven Six, shared his insights on the intersection of artificial intelligence, social media, and live entertainment. Introducing himself candidly, Ohanian noted, "You’d be hard pressed to find someone who has spent more time building or obsessing over the online zeitgeist, for better or for worse." He reflected on how, historically, being "chronically online" was intrinsic to his professional experience, especially in founding and nurturing a platform like Reddit, which once stood as a major hub for digital social connection.
However, the rapid adoption and integration of artificial intelligence have altered online landscapes significantly. Platforms originally designed to foster human connection — Reddit among them — appear increasingly less relatable, Ohanian observed. He highlighted a pressing concern: "Conservatively, I’d say 20% of all the content we see on social media is fake in some form or another." This comment resonates with ongoing discussions around the prevalence of fabricated or manipulated digital content and parallels theories such as the "dead internet theory," which suggest that much online interaction may not be genuinely human-generated.
Digging deeper, Ohanian explained that the use of AI models trained on social media data has inadvertently encouraged widespread production of content, frequently driven by AI itself. This avalanche of artificially generated material functions largely to influence the AI models, creating a feedback loop that challenges the authenticity of digital experiences. He conceded uncertainty around how this complex issue will be effectively addressed, acknowledging that "someone is going to have to crack what the next wave of social media looks like that verifies humanity or somehow allows us to understand who is real, without scanning everyone's retina."
Despite these challenges, Ohanian maintained a fundamentally hopeful perspective. He pointed out that as screen-based technologies become increasingly engaging and addictive — potentially increasing visual and cognitive allure by multiples — there simultaneously emerges a countervailing human impulse. "When our screens get 100 times more addictive and better, I think a part of our humanity suffers," he stated. Yet paradoxically, this attraction to virtual content seems to amplify desire for tangible experiences that center on authentic human interaction.
This insight led Ohanian to express a bullish view on live entertainment, framing it as a key beneficiary of the evolving technological environment shaped by AI. He asserted, "Live events are going to be one of the, I think, best parts to come out of this AI wave that folks don’t, maybe, intuitively consider." Referencing his role as a lead investor in the Los Angeles professional women’s soccer team Angel City FC since 2020, he underscored the "undeniable humanity of sport."
Ohanian also predicted a resurgence in theater attendance and production throughout the coming decade, reflecting broader shifts in entertainment consumption patterns. The experience of the COVID-19 pandemic, he reasoned, demonstrated the vital importance of face-to-face social connections. "In this post-AI world, it is obvious to me that coming together in person, live events is the last place left in entertainment," he concluded, emphasizing the unique role of physical communal gatherings in preserving human-centric entertainment amidst AI's pervasive influence.
Overall, Ohanian’s observations offer a nuanced view on how artificial intelligence disrupts conventional digital engagement, yet simultaneously may reinforce the value of live, shared experiences. His perspective integrates technological analysis with cultural insights centered on authenticity, connection, and the evolving nature of entertainment in the 21st century.