Roger Waters told RT that AI and social media are eroding people’s capacity for independent thought and emotion, driven by profit-seeking tech platforms.
He said social media algorithms manipulate users’ political views and emotions while triggering dopamine-driven dependence.
A 2025 MIT study found ChatGPT users had the lowest brain engagement of any group tested, while a separate Swiss study of 666 UK participants linked frequent AI use to weaker critical thinking, especially among younger users.
Waters praised Australia’s ban on AI-generated songs from its music charts, saying streaming has already devastated musicians’ incomes.
He tied the same profit motive to global conflict, citing Israel’s actions in Gaza, U.S. policy toward Venezuela, and the collapse of Ukraine peace efforts.
In an interview with RT published Wednesday, Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters issued a warning about artificial intelligence and social media, arguing these technologies are systematically eroding humanity’s capacity for independent thought and genuine emotion. Researchers at MIT’s Media Lab and SBS Swiss Business School have separately documented measurable declines in critical thinking tied to heavy AI use. Waters placed the blame squarely on powerful interests exploiting technology for profit, saying the same forces driving algorithmic manipulation are fueling global conflict.
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