The mainstreaming of AI is setting a new precedent for how people relate to non-human sources of intelligence. While automation on a consumer level has typically focused on specific tasks like replying to emails or budgeting, it’s now swiftly expanding to a more dynamic range of applications.

Once a signifier of luxury or novelty, custom products and services are now within reach of the everyday consumer, thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence, algorithm-led platforms, and the COVID-era digitisation boom. Today, everyone wants to be the main character of their brand experience.

Short video content and swipe-able feeds have taken over online, with social media and non-social platforms adapting to reflect TikTok. But what’s the impact of the homogenization of platforms? And how will users’ increasing awareness of algorithms change the game for brand discovery?

With the EU’s Digital Services Act coming into force in August 2023, Meta allows its European users to opt out of algorithmic feeds on Instagram and Facebook. This will give people a greater sense of control on social media but could challenge marketing strategies on these online platforms.

Algorithms are part of our online lives, impacting everything from shopping decisions to viewing habits. But do we put too much faith in them? Canvas8 spoke to Dr. Sachin Banker, assistant professor at the University of Utah, to understand whether people are overdependent on algorithms.

'Bookshelf wealth' has become a TikTok interior design trend. Featuring stacked bookshelves of loved books, some are calling it a less moody 'dark academia'. The trend's emphasis on curated objects of personal inspiration pushes back against a landscape dominated by algorithmic decision-making.