I was driving home the other day, and Google Maps suggested a detour that made no sense. It wanted me to exit the freeway and take a series of side streets that looked way slower on the surface. My gut told me to ignore it, but a little voice in my head said, “The algorithm sees the traffic jam you can’t. Just trust it.” So, I did. And it got me thinking: how many of our daily choices are we really making ourselves anymore?
A recent article in Artificial Intelligence by Pedreschi et al. (2025) explores this very question. The researchers describe how humans and algorithms are locked in a constant feedback loop. Every time we click, swipe, or drive a suggested route, we generate data that trains the algorithm. The updated algorithm then shapes our next set of choices, feeding back into the system again.
This cycle brings clear benefits. The researchers explain how algorithms save time, reduce decision fatigue, and help us discover content or products we might otherwise overlook. For many people, algorithms act like a helpful assistant.
Yet the same feedback loops that make algorithms useful also carry risks. Pedreschi et al. (2025) show that algorithms don’t just respond to our preferences, they influence them. Over time, a small number of technology companies, who control the platforms and the data, can quietly influence what billions of people see, buy, and even believe.
Other research highlights the psychological side of this influence. Paschen et al. (2019) describe digital nudging. Digital nudging is a set of subtle design cues that push users toward “off-profile” items. These nudges can increase engagement but over time, may quietly limit what we see and weaken our trust in the platform.
So, how many of our daily choices are we really making ourselves? Probably fewer than we like to believe. Algorithms often decide which doors appear in front of us before we even choose which one to open.
But that doesn’t mean we’ve lost control. Awareness is power. We can pause before clicking, question a “recommended for you” list, and deliberately seek out diverse sources. Sometimes the best route is to trust the system, other times, it’s to take the long way home.
Have you ever taken an algorithm’s advice and thought, why did I listen to that? Or been pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be exactly right?
Paschen, J., et al. (2019). Exploring the role of AI algorithmic agents: The impact of algorithmic decision autonomy on consumer purchase decisions. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1234. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01234
Pedreschi, D., Pappalardo, L., Ferragina, E., Baeza-Yates, R., Barabási, A.-L., Dignum, F., Dignum, V., Eliassi-Rad, T., Giannotti, F., Kertész, J., Knott, A., Ioannidis, Y., Lukowicz, P., Passarella, A., Pentland, A. S., Shawe-Taylor, J., & Vespignani, A. (2025). Human-AI coevolution. Artificial Intelligence, 339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.artint.2024.104244
Interesting perspective! Personally, I can safely say that I’ve (almost) always been wary of algorithms on social media like Instagram, but I rarely applied the same skepticism to Google Maps, for instance. Indeed, it’s a little unsettling reflecting on the fact that a tool I use to relieve the stress of driving is itself making choices for me.
What’s more, after reading the analysis from Pedreschi and Paschen you reported, I’m thinking about “digital nudging” in a new way. This article states that these nudges can “quietly limit what we see and weaken our trust in the platform.” It makes me wonder: how often do we experience a moment where we feel a strangely persistent recommendation or a default setting that feels manipulative which actually make us trust a platform less? It seems the very tools designed to engage us might be creating a backlash of skepticism the more aware we become. Cause even when platforms seem to be expanding our horizons, they are firmly in control of a bigger process.
So, yes, awareness is power, quoting you. And it’s not about rejecting technology, but about consciously choosing when to be guided and when to explore on our own.
Nice work, Lara! With this post you already made an impact, reading it made me aware again of how much the algorithm influences me. Your introduction reminded me of the woman who followed Google Maps instructions without second thought and ended up walking on a highway. That example shows why trusting your gut can sometimes be better and safer than blindly relying on algorithms.
Besides that, I believe it also affects our cognitive abilities in the long run. As you mentioned it reduces decision fatigue which is helpful. However, it might also make our brains a bit lazy as we increasingly depend on algorithms and make it “think” for us. Maybe driving occasionally without Google Maps and navigate a route ourselves could help keeping our minds sharp.
Furthermore, the constant feedback loop you described adds to this. A clear example is social media, as the platforms collect data to influence what we see next. This is also a form of digital nudging. I have noticed this with recommended ads as well. I might have forgotten about a product I once searched for, and after seeing an ad about it or an alternative I feel tempted to buy it. On the other hand, I have also been pleasantly surprised by the algorithm like discovering a new alternative route thanks to Google Maps.
Finally, I agree that awareness is power and probably the only way to gain back control. Yet, I wonder with an increased use of algorithms if people are actually going to try to be more aware or just unconsciously let the algorithm decide.