Crisis for the Open Web under AI and Social Media Pressure: New Challenges for Wikipedia

Miller stated that the foundation is working to distinguish between human visitors and bots on the site. He claimed that most of the traffic spikes in May and June came from bots designed to evade detection.

The key question, however, is why traffic is declining. Miller suggests that the main reason may be “generative AI and social media,” which are affecting how people search for information. In particular, he noted, “Search engines now use AI to provide answers directly, delivering information without people visiting sites like ours.” Additionally, “the younger generation now looks for information on social video platforms, which are being used instead of the open web.”

Wikipedia has stated that it is open to new technologies and believes that they will not diminish its importance. Although Wikipedia tried using AI-generated summaries, it discontinued the feature after objections from editors. However, these changes could pose some risks, especially if people become less aware of the original sources of information. Miller said, “Fewer visits to Wikipedia could lead to fewer volunteers contributing and fewer donations.”

To counter this, Miller suggested that “AI, search, and social media companies should make efforts to attract more visitors when using content from Wikipedia.” Wikipedia is also undertaking new initiatives, such as creating a framework to properly integrate content from Wikipedia.

Miller further emphasized, “When you search for information online, always verify the sources and click through to the original site.” He also noted that “the content behind generative AI is actually created by humans who deserve proper recognition.”

In this way, Wikipedia is trying to maintain its core identity while strengthening its position amid new technological and informational challenges.