As 2026 begins, a Business Insider social media reporter shares insights into the evolving app landscape, where AI-powered tools compete with human-centric platforms for user attention. Sydney Bradley, who tested dozens of apps throughout 2025, reveals a growing tension between AI-driven social networks and apps designed to foster genuine human connection.
While AI apps like OpenAI’s Sora and Meta’s standalone AI app made significant splashes on app charts in 2025, Bradley found these to be “blips in the fast-churning digital trend cycle” rather than lasting additions to daily routines. Instead, she gravitated toward apps offering escape from endless content feeds and AI slop—a term increasingly used to describe low-quality AI-generated content flooding social platforms.
Retro, a photo-sharing app founded by former Instagram employees, emerged as Bradley’s most-used platform since 2023, focusing on intimate sharing with approximately 15 friends rather than broadcasting to masses. The app recently introduced a feature that creates weekly supercuts of old photos, emphasizing nostalgia over algorithmic feeds.
Other standout apps include PI.FYI, a social network for discovering music and movies; Airbuds, which shows what friends are listening to in real-time; and Corner, a social map app that relaunched with AI-powered search tools designed for Gen Z to find nearby venues. Pinterest also returned to Bradley’s rotation, though the platform now heavily incorporates AI tools while attempting to give users control over AI-generated content visibility.
The Danger Testing project by Carlos Mayers and Marc Mueller represents a counter-trend, releasing playful apps that mock AI culture, including one that vandalizes Friend AI posters and another called “My Brainrot” that transforms videos into TikTok-style memes with automated captions.
Looking ahead to 2026, Bradley anticipates testing more dating apps touting AI as the solution for finding love, while remaining skeptical about their staying power. Apps on her radar include Rodeo (founded by former Hinge executives), Silk (a blogging platform for creative research), and Wabi (a vibe coding tool created by Replika founder Eugenia Kuyda that makes app development more accessible).
Key Quotes
While some of the biggest splashes on the app charts were AI apps like OpenAI’s Sora or Meta’s stand-alone AI app — and I tested out both — these felt more like blips in the fast-churning digital trend cycle.
Sydney Bradley, Business Insider’s social media reporter, reflects on testing major AI apps throughout 2025. This observation is significant because it suggests that despite massive marketing pushes and media attention, AI-focused apps may not be achieving the lasting user engagement that companies hope for.
I found myself frequently opening a small handful of apps that feel like an escape from the social media feeds of endless content and AI slop.
Bradley describes her app preferences, introducing the term ‘AI slop’ to characterize low-quality AI-generated content. This quote matters because it articulates growing user frustration with AI-generated content flooding social platforms, potentially signaling a backlash against over-reliance on AI in social media.
There are a lot of apps I’ll be trying out this year, and I’m sure a bunch of those will be even more dating apps touting AI as the solution for finding love.
Looking ahead to 2026, Bradley anticipates continued proliferation of AI-powered dating apps. This quote reveals both the industry’s persistent belief in AI as a matchmaking solution and a hint of skepticism about whether AI can truly solve human connection challenges.
Our Take
This article reveals a fascinating paradox in the AI era: the more AI saturates our digital spaces, the more users crave authentically human experiences. While tech giants pour billions into AI development, actual user behavior suggests a flight to intimacy—smaller networks, friend-focused features, and tools that facilitate real-world connections rather than algorithmic engagement.
The concept of “AI slop” emerging in mainstream discourse is particularly telling. It suggests we’re entering a phase where AI-generated content is no longer novel but potentially annoying, similar to how users grew tired of spam and clickbait. The success of apps like Retro, with just 15 friends, versus AI social networks with millions of users, indicates that scale and sophistication may matter less than authenticity and intentionality.
The real opportunity for AI may lie not in replacing human interaction but in enabling it more efficiently—as seen with Corner’s AI-powered search or Wabi’s democratization of app creation. The future likely belongs to platforms that use AI invisibly to enhance rather than dominate the user experience.
Why This Matters
This article captures a critical inflection point in the AI and social media landscape: while AI tools dominate headlines and app store charts, users are increasingly seeking authentic human connection over algorithm-driven experiences. The reporter’s preference for smaller-scale, friend-focused apps over AI platforms signals potential user fatigue with AI-generated content and algorithmic feeds.
The tension between AI innovation and human-centric design will define social media’s evolution in 2026. Companies investing heavily in AI features may miss the mark if users prioritize genuine connections over technological sophistication. Meanwhile, the emergence of “vibe coding” tools like Wabi suggests AI’s role may shift from content generation to democratizing app creation itself.
For businesses, this trend indicates that AI integration alone won’t guarantee user adoption—the technology must enhance rather than replace human experiences. The success of apps like Retro and Corner, which use AI subtly or not at all, demonstrates that simplicity and authenticity may be more valuable than cutting-edge AI features in capturing sustained user engagement.
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