The question “Is the open web dying?” might evoke Betteridge’s law of headlines, which suggests that any headline ending in a question mark can be answered with “no.” But here, the answer is, unfortunately, closer to “yes.” To understand why the open web is faltering and to assess AI’s role in this decline, let’s first define what we mean by “open web.”
For the purposes of this article, the open web is:
- Publicly accessible without barriers like paywalls or subscription fees
- Unfiltered by governmental censorship
- Free from platform-based algorithmic control, allowing content to be discovered through open browsing and linking
- Interoperable, meaning that it fosters connections between sites without restrictions
The open web was once the backbone of online information, enabling anyone with an internet connection to freely share, link, and access content. But a combination of shifting business models, regulatory changes, and technological advancements — most recently AI — is reshaping the internet into a more closed, restrictive environment.
The squeeze on small content providers and diversity
A primary threat …