The game has changed.
Once, the internet was a place to learn, connect, and share ideas. Now, it’s a global battleground for one scarce resource: Your attention.
In 2025, we’re not just living through a content explosion. We’re in an attention war and AI has escalated the arms race. The cost of producing content is now zero. The cost of getting someone to care? Priceless.
By the numbers
AI’s role in content Inflation is exponential. We have gone from zero content created by AI just over 2 years ago to AI content everywhere.
- A study suggests roughly 30–40% of text on active webpages may now be AI-generated.
- The Generative AI market for content creation was valued at USD 14.84 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 19.62 billion by 2025, with a CAGR of 32.5% through 2030.
- Usage of generative AI is growing: 63% of organizations now use it for text generation, with notable usage in image and code creation too. Some business units report clear revenue and cost benefits from these tools.
Why attention matters
But here’s the truth no one tells you. In the modern economy, attention isn’t just the first step to making money, it is the money.
And the rules of the game are brutal:
- Drama pays. Manufactured outrage pulls in more views than facts.
- Fear converts. One well-timed negative mention can wipe out a brand.
- Entertainment sedates. Short videos are dopamine hits in your pocket.
- Distraction is engineered. Your phone buzzes with carefully timed nudges, each one training your brain like a lab rat chasing pellets.
This isn’t a glitch. It’s the new business model and playground. So how do you survive, thrive, and actually win in this world?
Let’s break it down.
Why attention is the new currency
Forget oil, data, or gold — attention is the most valuable asset of the digital age. Whoever controls it, monetizes it. Period.
- TikTok doesn’t sell videos. It sells your addiction to those videos.
- YouTube creators don’t make money from their skills, they make money from your clicks.
- News outlets don’t report to inform you, they compete to trigger you.
Every platform, brand, and creator is now a slot machine, trying to get you to pull the lever. Over and over again.
Because if they hold your attention, they can sell you anything.
The AI flood: Why it’s so hard to be seen
AI was supposed to liberate creators. And in some ways, it has. You can now:
- Generate 100 LinkedIn posts in 60 seconds
- Create a podcast script, brand guide, sales copy, and blog article with just a few prompts
- Clone your voice and face to make infinite videos without ever pressing “record”
But when everyone can do that — no one stands out. You’ve seen it already:
LinkedIn, Twitter, and TikTok feeds are overflowing with the same style of advice, the same tone, the same AI faces. Everyone’s “productive.” Everyone’s “dropping value.” No one is memorable.
And attention without distinction is just noise.
The harsh truth: The algorithm doesn’t care about you
You’re not competing with other creators. You’re competing with rage tweets, cat videos, celebrity drama, and AI influencers who never sleep.
The algorithm doesn’t reward quality, it rewards engagement. And engagement is often driven by:
- Outrage
- Conflict
- Sex
- Status envy
- Nostalgia
- Quick wins
In this world, calm, thoughtful content dies quietly unless it’s packaged to survive the algorithmic battlefield.
So what’s the move?
5 new rules of the attention game (plus the secret super rule)
To win in this casino, you don’t need to shout louder. You need to be strategically louder. Here’s how:
Rule 1. Pattern disruption > Polished perfection
Polished content looks like everything else. What stops the scroll is weird, raw, unexpected, or funny.
→ Try lo-fi selfie videos. Contrarian titles. Jarring visuals. Mistakes left in on purpose.
Rule 2. Lean into emotion, Not just information
No one shares a fact. They share how a fact makes them feel.
→ Use storytelling. Tap into fear, hope, status, belonging, revenge, redemption. This is the real currency.
Rule 3. Be a character, Not just a creator
People follow people, not brands. They want to feel like they know you.
→ Expose your beliefs. Show your process. Have a clear tone. Polarize.
Rule 4. Own a niche, Then break the box
Start hyper-specific (e.g., “AI tools for solopreneurs”), then grow outward with personality and worldview.
→ Attention compounds when people know what to expect and get occasional surprises.
Rule 5. Use AI to scale you, Not replace you
Use ChatGPT to brainstorm, rewrite, or script. But never outsource your edge.
→ Keep the soul, the weirdness, the tension — that’s your moat.
(The #6 secret super rule)
But there is one missing attention growth amplifier: Building (or acquiring access to an AI-powered industrial scale content engine.
Being clever and strategically louder will get you seen. But being everywhere? That’s how you dominate.
In today’s AI economy, you don’t have to choose between smart and loud.
With AI tools, agents, and automation, you can do both:
- Create 100+ pieces of content daily — text, video, images
- Optimize for every platform (Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, X)
- Post, repost, remix, schedule, and distribute 24/7 — without lifting a finger
- Test dozens of versions per idea and double-down on what works
- Automate replies, comments, captions, hashtags, even CTAs
That is brute force industrial scale marketing. This isn’t a theory — it’s already happening.
So be strategic and play smart in the attention economy and add brute force. That is the new smart with muscle.
Real-world example: Alex Hormozi’s “Content Factory”
Alex Hormozi doesn’t just make good content. He built a content machine that turns 1 long-form video into 100+ pieces across platforms.
Here’s how he breaks it down:
1 video → 10 YouTube clips → 20 Instagram/TikTok edits → 30 quotes → blog → email → LinkedIn post → podcast → tweet storm
And this is all done using AI + team + automation.
The result?
He dominates every feed, every day — with content people want to engage with.
Here’s a quick snippet on YouTube about how and why he creates 90 pieces of content every day:
Owning the feed: How power players buy attention at scale
You’ve heard it said:
“Don’t build your business on rented land.”
But in 2025, the real game is:
Own the land. Own the platform. Own the narrative.
Politicians, billionaires, and brands have figured it out: If attention is the most valuable currency, then media is the mint.
Instead of just buying ads…They buy the entire feed. Or better yet — they buy the platform that delivers it.
Real-world examples:
1. Elon Musk — X (formerly Twitter)
Elon didn’t just want more reach — he bought the distribution platform.
Now he shapes global news cycles daily, sets narratives, and markets Tesla/SpaceX/AI tools in real time.
He turned X into his personal PR machine.
2. Joe Rogan — $100M Spotify Deal
Spotify didn’t just sponsor him — they made his show exclusive to control where the attention flowed.
Rogan’s audience became Spotify’s audience, boosting subscriptions, ad revenue, and cultural relevance.
3. Barstool Sports — Penn Entertainment
Penn bought Barstool to tap into its rabid, meme-fueled sports fanbase — using its media voice to drive betting customers.
It’s not just a blog. It’s a conversion funnel disguised as culture.
4. MrBeast — Building a Media Empire
MrBeast doesn’t just make viral YouTube videos — he owns distribution, brand, and product.
From Feastables to Beast Burger to his entire production house, he turns views into ventures — and monetizes attention from every angle.
Why this works:
When you own media, you don’t pay for reach — you command it.
- You can shape public opinion
- Launch products at scale instantly
- Run your message 24/7 without gatekeepers
- Outlast algorithm changes or platform bans
- Monetize through influence, not interruption
The takeaway for creators and entrepreneurs:
You don’t need to buy Twitter or Spotify.
But you can:
- Build your own email list or newsletter
- Launch a podcast or YouTube channel
- Grow a niche media brand
- Acquire small blogs, Twitter accounts, or Substacks
- Create owned communities (Discord, Circle, Notion hubs)
Don’t just make content.
“Build the machine that delivers content — at scale, on your terms”
That’s how the attention elite play the game.
The three psychological triggers that still work
In an AI-saturated attention economy, three human instincts still reign supreme: Don’t discount the lizard brain and the human tribal wiring.
1. Fear of being left behind (FOMO)
Position your message as a trend others already see — but your audience might miss.
“Everyone’s building media companies with AI. Here’s how you can too.”
2. Status aspiration
People pay attention to what makes them feel smarter, richer, more powerful.
“7 unfair AI advantages top creators use daily.”
3. Identity reinforcement
We share things that reflect who we are or who we want to be.
“If you’re the kind of person who reads this… you’re already ahead of 95%.”
From attention to income: Monetizing without selling out
Attention ≠ revenue — unless you know how to turn attention into trust, and trust into transactions.
Here’s the playbook:
- Lead with generosity – Give more value than expected. Give away your best ideas. It builds loyalty.
- Be clear about your business – What do you sell? How do you help? If people can’t answer that after 3 posts, you’re not ready to monetize.
- Don’t chase virality. Chase consistency. (It is still a long game)
Viral spikes come and go. It’s the daily drumbeat that builds a real brand. - Build parasocial depth – Make your audience feel seen. Respond to comments. Share stories. Create a community.
New business models in the attention economy
If you can capture attention, here are just a few ways to turn it into money:
- One-Person Media Empire – Monetize via newsletter + affiliate + coaching
- Education-as-Entertainment – Make learning addictive (see: YouTube educators)
- AI-Powered Execution Services – Sell the results, not the process (with agents)
- Niche Personality Brands – People will pay to hang out with someone who “gets them”
- Content-to-Product Funnels – Turn posts into books, courses, digital tools
Attention fuels all of these.
Final thoughts
The Game has changed — So learn to play It better. Yes, this economy is brutal. Yes, the platforms are designed to manipulate. Yes, AI has flooded the field.
But that also means most people are still playing the game wrong. The old way. And you can win if you learn to play right and learn and apply the new way.
“People crave humanity, even in a machine world. If you can capture real attention not just views, but hearts and minds — you have leverage no AI can replicate.”