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In the age of artificial intelligence (AI), something rather unexpected is making a major comeback: physical media. From DVDs and CDs to vinyl records and printed books, both millennials and Gen Z appear to be yearning for a simpler time before modern technology dominated nearly every aspect of life. Even VHS tapes are seeing a small revival. But nostalgia may not be the only thing driving the trend. As AI continues to rapidly improve, what else is behind the return to physical media?
Subscription Fatigue
In modern America, businesses across industries are adopting subscription models that require consumers to keep paying for continued access to products and features. Younger generations might be surprised to learn that the subscription model so common today was once relatively rare. For decades, when consumers bought computer software, video games, movies, and countless other products, they typically purchased a physical copy in a box. They paid for it once, and then they owned it. It really was that simple.
Now, of course, the game has changed. These days, subscriptions seem to be attached to almost everything, including printers and cars, where access to some “smart” features – driven by AI – may require an additional fee for however long the consumer wants to use the product. According to Harvard Business School Professor Elie Ofek, over 70% of businesses that “sell directly to customers have some sort of subscription offering.”
It seems, however, that businesses may have taken the subscription craze too far, giving rise to a new phenomenon known as “subscription fatigue,” which is exactly what it sounds like: consumers are tired of paying endless fees. What better way to escape the nearly universal subscription model than to return to the physical media and products of decades past?
AI vs Ownership
Millennials and Zoomers in particular are rebelling against AI “slop” and digital media, opting for physical copies partly so they aren’t dependent on a streaming service or company for continued access to the movies, music, books, and games they enjoy. “If something gets deleted off an online platform, I will still be able to watch it because I have a physical copy,” Lauren, 31, told The Los Angeles Times. “It feels really precious to be able to own things physically and not be at the mercy of studios’ financial decisions.”
The backlash against AI slop is also driving consumers toward physical goods, particularly as AI-generated content becomes more realistic and it becomes harder to tell what is real online.
Aidan Walker, a content creator and researcher for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, argued that AI slop is yet another “festering wound” on the growing list of concerns surrounding AI development. “Users have gradually gotten more and more upset about it,” Walker warned, according to The New York Times.
Even as resistance to AI grows, development of the advanced technology shows no signs of slowing down. In response, younger generations appear to be embracing a simple solution: To escape AI and costly digital media, they’re stepping away from modern technology altogether and returning to the physical world.
4 Questions
The story, in brief
Why are millennials and Gen Z returning to physical media?
Millennials and Gen Z are turning back to DVDs, CDs, vinyl records, printed books, and even VHS tapes because they are tired of constant digital subscriptions and growing dependence on online platforms. They also want a simpler experience and a way to avoid AI-driven content and features that increasingly dominate modern technology.
How is subscription fatigue helping physical media make a comeback?
Many businesses now require ongoing payments for access to products and features, including some AI-powered functions in items like printers and cars. That has led to subscription fatigue, as consumers grow frustrated with endless fees. Buying physical media offers a one-time purchase and a sense of lasting ownership.
How does physical media give consumers more ownership than streaming services?
Physical copies let people keep access to movies, music, books, and games without relying on a company or streaming platform to keep them available. One consumer said that if something is deleted from an online platform, a physical copy still allows it to be watched. That makes physical ownership feel more secure and valuable.
What role is AI slop playing in the return of physical media?
Backlash against AI slop is pushing consumers toward physical goods as AI-generated content becomes more realistic and harder to distinguish from what is real online. Concerns about AI are growing, and users have become increasingly upset about it. In response, younger generations are stepping away from digital media and returning to the physical world.
