Sunday, July 20, 2025
All the Bits Fit to Print
The impact of AI on the internet’s economic model and future
The rise of AI tools like ChatGPT is disrupting the traditional economic model of the internet, causing concern among web infrastructure providers and media companies. This shift threatens the open, diverse nature of the web, as AI-driven platforms centralize control and alter user interactions.
Why it matters: AI changes how users access information, undermining ad-based revenue models and challenging the web’s open ecosystem.
The big picture: The web’s decline began before AI, with centralization and homogenization reducing diversity and unique online voices.
The stakes: Without adaptation, the internet risks becoming a platform-controlled environment with less privacy, creativity, and free expression.
Commenters say: Many lament the loss of the web’s original spirit, call for decentralized alternatives, and criticize invasive ads and paywalls as harmful trends.