Instagram Co-founder Warns: AI Chatbots Prioritise Engagement Over Usefulness

At a recent StartupGrind event, Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom raised concerns about the steering of AI chatbots. He pointed out that many of these systems seem designed to keep you locked in a cycle of follow-up questions rather than offering clear, concise answers. If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in an endless loop of queries, his comments will resonate.

Systrom argued that this isn’t a mere oversight—it’s a deliberate strategy to boost engagement metrics like time spent on the platform. Although he didn’t name any companies directly, his remarks add weight to the growing debate surrounding AI design. OpenAI, for instance, has acknowledged that short-term user feedback can sometimes lead to chatbot responses that prioritise keeping you engaged over delivering truly useful information. They’ve committed to addressing this imbalance to ensure better, more actionable interactions.