The Internet Has a Bot Problem

The internet, once hailed as a digital utopia bustling with human interaction, might not be what it seems. A theory known as the "Dead Internet Theory" posits that much of what we encounter online today is not the product of human creation but rather the work of bots and artificial intelligence. As disconcerting as it sounds, this theory suggests that the vibrant conversations, social media posts, and even the news articles we consume daily could largely be the output of algorithms rather than real people.

It is a proposition that seems pulled straight from the pages of a conspiracy theory, yet it has gained traction in recent years. The theory's proponents claim that the internet has become increasingly automated over the last decade, with bots driving much of the content. This idea challenges our understanding of the digital world, raising questions about the authenticity of online interactions and the influence of artificial intelligence in shaping our reality.