The proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) in short-form video production has drastically lowered creative barriers, enabling users to generate highly engaging, personalized content with minimal effort. While democratizing content creation, this ease of production introduces a novel pathway for behavioral addiction. Unlike passive consumption, AI-assisted creation fosters a compulsive feedback loop: rapid generation, immediate reward through algorithmic validation (likes, shares), and constant iteration. This process exploits dopaminergic reinforcement schedules, where unpredictable social feedback coupled with AI’s frictionless output capacity leads to maladaptive overproduction. Users may prioritize automated content crafting over offline responsibilities, exhibiting withdrawal symptoms when disconnected from creation tools. Furthermore, AI’s ability to tailor video aesthetics and narrative hooks specifically to individual psychological vulnerabilities—such as need for approval or fear of missing out—amplifies dependency risk. This abstract argues that addiction in this context is not limited to viewing, but extends to generative compulsion, where the act of producing short-form videos becomes intrinsically reinforcing. Understanding these dynamics is critical for designing ethical AI safeguards and interventions targeting creator-side addiction in social media ecosystems.

Dr. Kadir Uludağ is a researcher specializing in applied psychology, currently engaged in postdoctoral studies at the Capital Medical University. He earned his Ph.D. in Applied Psychology from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Dr. Uludağ's research interests encompass schizophrenia, drug addiction, and educational psychology. He has also explored the intersection of psychology and technology.