Billionaire investor Mark Cuban says personalized social media feeds increasingly shape how Americans understand politics, technology, and public debate.
Cuban took to X on Wednesday and stated that conversations with Texas-based Gen Z professionals and college graduates revealed that they had "no idea" about Senate candidates for the state, Democrat James Talarico or Republican Ken Paxton.
The Shark Tank star argued that social media algorithms influence thinking more than other forces because every user receives a distinct feed. He compared those feeds to fingerprints, saying no two are alike.
Cuban Says AI Algorithms Fuel Divisiveness
In an a16z podcast episode on Wednesday, Cuban said, "What controls how pretty much everybody in this country thinks right now? Social media algorithms." He said users receive more of what they already seek.
Cuban said effective AI marketing requires understanding and "reverse-engineer" these algorithms rather than relying on traditional advertising. The speaker also highlighted the irony that AI-powered algorithms contribute to social "divisiveness," and is impacting every area of life such as sports, politics and more.
"It's useless when you're trying to change hearts and minds about AI specifically. Even though the irony of it all is that it's the AI behind the algorithms that's ruining everything."
Meta Blocks Rival Ads As AI Competition Grows
Cuban's remarks come as major technology companies compete for advertising budgets while algorithmic personalization shapes audience attention. Meta Platforms Inc. (META) recently barred ByteDance from advertising on Facebook and Instagram across seven countries, including the U.S. Meta said it would not run ads for competitors seeking to draw users away from its platforms, calling the decision a normal business practice. The company said it would continue competing through product quality and user experience.
Advertising competition is also expanding into AI. OpenAI's advertising business was estimated by D.A. Davidson technology research head Gil Luria to have reached a $1 billion annualized revenue run rate.
