How chatbots are changing the internet

Summary

Chatbots and large language models are shifting how people find and consume information online. Rather than clicking through search results and many web pages, users increasingly receive concise, conversational answers from AI assistants embedded in search engines, apps and platforms. This alters traffic patterns, advertising economics and the role of publishers.

The technology promises greater convenience and personalised responses, but raises questions about accuracy, attribution, monetisation and the incentives that sustain quality journalism and original content. Companies and regulators are grappling with how to balance innovation with transparency and fair compensation for creators.

Key Points

AI chatbots deliver direct answers, which can reduce visits to original websites and disrupt publisher ad revenues.
Platforms embedding chatbots change the user interface of the web — interactions are conversational rather than link-driven.
There is a growing tension between convenience and accuracy: summarised answers may omit nuance or misattribute sources.
Publishers are exploring new monetisation models (APIs, subscriptions, licensing) to adapt to lower referral traffic.
Search engine optimisation and content strategies must evolve for models that rely on structured data and high-quality sourcing.
Regulation, transparency standards and technical approaches (watermarking, provenance) are emerging as ways to manage misinformation and copyright issues.

Context and relevance

The article matters because the way people discover content is changing faster than the business models that pay for that content. If chatbots become the default interface to the internet, middlemen and platforms will control more of the user experience and the flow of attention. That has implications for advertisers, newsrooms, creators and policymakers.

For anyone working in media, digital marketing, search or product strategy, the shift demands practical changes: better metadata, stronger subscription offers, clearer attribution practices and engagement models that don’t rely solely on pageviews.

Why should I read this?

Because the web you know is being edited by machines — quickly. This piece saves you the time of chasing dozens of thinkpieces and pulls together the practical fallout for publishers, platforms and users in plain terms.

Source

Source: https://www.ft.com/content/feb0c8cf-b347-4731-bc12-78bfb69dca36