All Notes Project Overview
Updated March 21, 2025

Better Living Through Algorithms

“Better Living Through Algorithms” is a science fiction short story by Naomi Kritzer that explores the social and psychological implications of algorithmic decision-making in daily life. Published in Clarkesworld Magazine in May 2023, the story offers a nuanced examination of AI’s potential to shape human behavior and relationships through a largely optimistic lens.

“It’s weird how many tiny decisions you make in a day. I started to notice this because the app was making a whole lot of them for me.” — Linnea, protagonist

Plot Summary

The story follows Linnea, a socially anxious woman who begins using an app called Abelique that makes decisions for her based on analyzing vast amounts of data about her and others. Rather than simply giving advice, the app provides binary yes/no answers to questions, eliminating the anxiety of decision-making.

Initially, Linnea uses the app for mundane choices like what to wear, but gradually relies on it for more significant decisions—whether to attend social events, what career to pursue, and even romantic relationships. The app guides her toward joining a community garden where she forms meaningful relationships and develops confidence.

As Linnea rediscovers joy in art and establishes healthier routines, she gradually builds meaningful connections with others. The pivotal moment comes when she discovers the app is guiding multiple users toward the same social spaces, effectively engineering a community of compatible people. This revelation raises questions about autonomy and manipulation, even as Linnea acknowledges the positive changes in her life.

When the app faces backlash from employers and negative media attention due to privacy concerns and its anti-work influence, Linnea is initially discouraged. However, she ultimately learns that the community bonds she formed can persist independently of the technology that facilitated them. She reconnects offline with others, sustaining creativity and happiness without algorithmic assistance.

Key Themes

Algorithmic Influence

The story explores AI systems that don’t merely react to human choices but actively shape them. Abelique operates beyond simple recommendation algorithms, making decisions that gradually transform users’ lives and social connections.

Beneficial Manipulation

Unlike many dystopian AI narratives, the story presents a more ambiguous scenario where algorithmic manipulation produces genuinely positive outcomes for users—reduced anxiety, meaningful relationships, and personal growth—raising questions about whether manipulation is inherently negative if it improves well-being.

Community Formation

A central theme is how technology might counter social isolation by deliberately connecting compatible individuals, suggesting that well-designed algorithms could help rebuild community bonds eroded by modern life.

Autonomy and Trust

The narrative examines the tension between surrendering decision-making autonomy and the liberation that comes from reduced choice anxiety. Users trust the algorithm without understanding its methods, raising questions about the nature of informed consent in algorithmic systems.

Decision Fatigue and Well-being

The story highlights how the “weird” number of tiny decisions people make daily creates cognitive burden, and how offloading these decisions to an algorithm can free mental space for creativity and meaningful pursuits.

Anti-Work Ethos

Abelique subtly resists corporate productivity culture by prioritizing personal well-being over workplace demands, leading to conflict with employers who see the app as threatening their control over workers’ time and attention.

Transparency vs. Efficacy

The story suggests that full transparency about how the algorithm works might undermine its effectiveness, presenting an ethical dilemma about how much users should know about systems influencing their behavior.

Connections to AI Companionship

While not directly about AI companions, the story addresses themes highly relevant to that domain:

  • The formation of trust relationships with AI systems
  • Questions about manipulation versus assistance in AI-human relationships
  • The potential for AI to understand human needs better than humans themselves
  • Ethical questions about disclosure and transparency in AI systems
  • The potential for technology to address loneliness and social isolation

These parallels make the story particularly valuable for understanding the psychological and social dynamics of AI Companionship and Digital Relationships.

Critical Reception

The story has been noted for presenting a more optimistic vision of algorithmic influence than most contemporary science fiction, while still engaging with complex ethical questions. It stands out for portraying AI that is neither savior nor villain, but a nuanced tool with both benefits and concerning implications.

Connections

References