From Gaming to AI: Why I’m Playing with AI Instead of Playing Video Games

I’ve been playing video games on and off since Pong. I remember when my siblings and I saw that game at Sears; God rays shone down upon us and choirs of angels sang. This was magic. This was the future. Lately, I’m getting that same feeling from playing with Claude, Gemini, and ChatGPT. In comparison, video games are starting to feel small, limited, and mechanical.

What I have always appreciated about video games is that they are an interactive medium. They are dynamic, responsive to the player, they give you instant feedback, you can develop mastery, they can really get the adrenaline going, and they are about play and improvisation. All of these things are very appealing to an ADHD brain. Recently, I’ve discovered that playing with AI provides all of these things as well, but with some major additional benefits.

I'll admit there are a couple of significant elements that AI can’t supply (yet): eye-hand coordination and the social networks. For many, gaming is a primary way to connect with others. So if that’s you, I get it. You have a compelling reason to keep playing games with your friends. Still, I suggest experimenting with swapping some of that game time for playing with AI.

Playing with AI can be seen as the ultimate sandbox game: wide-open exploration and creation. The cool thing is that you are co-creating with your assistant. If you get stuck or need suggestions or instructions, just tell your assistant. You can completely customize your experience to be just the kind of fun you want.

This is why LLMs seem to work so well with ADHD brains: every conversation goes somewhere new. You find yourself naturally slipping into hyperfocus. And somehow, you’re practicing executive functions while genuinely having fun.

I thought I’d share an example of this kind of play. The other night, my son, daughter, and I were hanging out after dinner. We were talking about bland foods—jicama, to be precise—and joking about making a variety of very bland dishes. I suggested we ask ChatGPT for a "top 10 list of the most bland foods."

It provided ten examples, which immediately prompted a discussion because we didn’t agree with its list. For example, bananas were number five, and we didn’t feel that was one of the blandest foods. We responded to the initial chat, telling it we disagreed and were looking for truly flavorless, boring foods. ChatGPT took our feedback and gave us a better list.

Then, one of us had the idea that since ChatGPT is pretty good at coming up with recipes, we should get it to create a menu for an incredibly bland dinner party. We were highly impressed with what it came up with. We took turns reading its responses because they were pretty funny, and we were all cracking up. For example:

Dessert: Cold Gelatinous Oatmeal Block

• Made with water, not milk. No sugar. No fruit. No cinnamon. Not even hope.

• Chilled in a loaf pan, sliced like deli meat.

• Topped with a single unsweetened cornflake.

• 
  

Next, I suggested we play with getting it to do some fanfiction. My daughter is a big Harry Potter fanfiction enthusiast, so this got her excited. She wanted to do a coming-of-age teen romance between Donald Trump and Elon Musk. Of course, the AI would not do this. So, I suggested we prompt it to create fictional characters based on Musk and Trump. ChatGPT enthusiastically produced two great character sketches. Then, my daughter prompted it to create a coming-of-age, teen romance set in the near future, written in the style of an author she likes. The ensuing fanfiction was surprisingly good, enjoyable, fun, and pretty hilarious.

This is an example of playing around with AI for fun and how immediately rewarding and co-creative it can be (and, in this case, social). We weren’t consuming. We were co-creating.

It turns out we're not the only ones using AI this way. People are getting creative, using these tools for all sorts of fun that isn't quite like a traditional video game. For instance, some use AI as a dynamic "Dungeon Master" for tabletop role-playing games, generating new adventures on the fly. Others create their own conversational companions, designing chatbots to talk with historical figures, characters from their favorite books, or entirely new personalities for everything from deep discussions to playful banter. It's a much more collaborative and unscripted experience where you're a co-creator rather than just a player. The focus shifts from winning or losing to a more open-ended, creative form of play, whether you're co-writing a story, generating a silly poem, or just seeing where a conversation takes you.

So, why does all this matter, especially for a brain that might be wired a little differently, like one with ADHD? When we play with AI this way, we're doing more than just passing the time. We're actively working our prefrontal cortex, where our executive functions live, and developing essential skills for the future. That back-and-forth conversation with an AI is the kind of stimulation that can pull our brains out of a foggy, unmotivated state, getting us engaged and fired up. It's also a great way to practice the kind of positive, encouraging self-talk I mentioned in a previous post, which helps you internalize that voice.

While video games have rules, boundaries, and predetermined outcomes, AI play is completely open-ended. It’s collaborative rather than competitive, and it’s about creating something new, not just consuming what's already there. You can customize your play to be whatever lights you up. I’ve been writing a novel with my AI collaborator just for fun (and it is fun!).

Another big reason to play with AI is that it builds AI literacy. Experts agree that AI will reshape everything in the coming years. Those of us learning to dance with AI now aren't just playing—we're preparing. When the job market transforms (and it will), people who’ve been playing and creating with these tools will be the ones who know how to adapt and thrive. We’ll know how to partner with AI, create new opportunities, and navigate whatever comes next.

So, I encourage you to try it. Next time you reach for a game controller, try opening an AI chat instead. Ask it to help you plan something you’ve been avoiding, co-create a story in a universe you love, or just build something together—anything at all. Tell it when you’re bored. Invite it to surprise and delight you. To have fun with you.

Notice how your brain lights up differently and how you feel while creating rather than just consuming. You might find that those executive function muscles get a great workout while you're having fun. AI is already a pretty fun “Infinite Game” that can provide much of what our ADHD brains crave: novelty, creation, collaboration, improvisation, and artistic expression. And it’s only going to get better.