The rise of generative AI has unlocked a new era of content creation, flooding the digital world with an overwhelming amount of media. From influencers to tech giants, everyone is producing more than ever, constantly vying for our limited hours in the day. But there’s one precious resource that remains largely untapped: sleep.
In an age where screen time seems endless, sleep is quickly becoming the final bastion of time not consumed by content. While tech companies, video streaming services, and creators are flooding us with ever-growing content, there’s a ticking clock — time itself. As generative AI continues to remove barriers to content creation, the sheer volume of media is closing in on the last frontier of our time: the hours we dedicate to rest.
Follow THE FUTURE on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and Telegram
A recent note from Bernstein internet analysts pointed out an undeniable truth: “While many have cut back on sleep in favor of more screen time, there is a hard limit to how much digital content one can consume.” According to data from eMarketer, Americans have tacked on an additional six hours a day of digital consumption over the past 15 years, with projections indicating that next year, people will spend more than eight hours engaging with digital media. And this doesn’t even account for younger audiences, meaning the real figure could be even higher.
The recommended sleep cycle for adults is eight hours, which means the math here is becoming a bit tight. Add eight hours of sleep to eight hours of digital media consumption, and there are only eight remaining hours for everything else — eating, exercising, socializing, and, yes, even sleeping.
It’s a troubling equation for Big Tech. As Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings famously said in 2017, “We’re competing with sleep.” And the competition is intensifying.
While it’s unclear exactly what form nighttime digital content might take, the existing landscape already includes sleep-tracking apps and devices promising better rest through meditation and calming sounds. But as content consumption keeps climbing, what happens when we reach a point where the pie doesn’t grow anymore — and the slices start shrinking? Bernstein analysts predict that the increasing engagement with free social video platforms could begin to siphon away viewers from paid services, reshaping the market in ways we may not anticipate.
The digital world is facing a hard limit, and it’s not just about how much content we consume — it’s about how much time we’re willing to give it. As Big Tech pushes the boundaries of media saturation, it may eventually face the unrelenting force of sleep itself.
