Steven Bartlett Foresees a Surge in Real-World Experiences as AI Dominates Digital Content

In a recent LinkedIn post, Steven Bartlett 123 outlines his strategic investment thesis centered on the burgeoning value of real-world experiences, a trend he believes is being amplified by the proliferation of AI-generated digital content. Bartlett argues that as the creation of digital assets becomes increasingly effortless and abundant, their inherent value diminishes, causing value to shift towards elements that remain scarce, difficult to replicate, and capable of delivering profound depth.

The Shift from Abundance to Scarcity

Bartlett draws a parallel to the music industry’s evolution, where recorded music, once seen as a threat to live performances, ultimately became an advertisement for them. He explains this phenomenon by stating:

“When the ability to make something becomes cheap and easy, its value drains away and It flows to whatever stays SCARCE, HARD to pull off, and capable of delivering DEPTH.”

This principle, according to Bartlett, is now being applied to other creative fields by artificial intelligence. He points out that AI is poised to make the production of writing, images, and video radically more abundant and cheaper. Consequently, Bartlett asserts that content produced cheaply will continue to lose value.

The Enduring Power of Human Connection

Relationship as the True Asset

The core of Bartlett’s argument is that content itself has always been a conduit for building relationships, and these relationships are the real, enduring assets. He emphasizes that no digital interaction can replicate the depth of connection forged through shared physical experiences.

“AND, nothing on earth builds a bond as deep and enduring as sharing a real experience with people you relate to,” Bartlett writes in his post.

The Underserved Need for Human Interaction

Bartlett highlights a growing societal trend of decreased real-world interaction, citing increased remote work, reliance on screens, fewer community spaces, and declining close friendships across generations. This, he contends, leaves a significant unmet need for genuine human connection.

He further supports this by noting the surge in specific real-world activities:

• Phone-free live events have seen a dramatic increase, growing by 567% in a single year in some markets.
• In the UK, these events are reportedly up over 1,200%.
• The global corporate events market is projected to nearly double, from $325 billion to $600 billion.

Investing in the “Real World”

Based on this analysis, Bartlett declares his intention to invest millions into events and other real-world (IRL) initiatives through his fund. He is particularly interested in opportunities within this burgeoning space.

“When the world is changing this fast, you can sit around predicting what’s going to change, or you can simply bet on what won’t,” Bartlett advises. “And we are NOT going to evolve out of our need for each other. It’s wired so deep that when people set out to break a human being, one of the cruellest things they can do is keep them alone.”

Bartlett concludes with an optimistic prediction of an “explosion in humans doing more human things,” signaling a significant opportunity for businesses focused on facilitating these real-world connections.