Closer Than Ever: What Is the Dead Internet Theory?

There’s a theory that the world actually ended in 2012, and that we’re all now living in a kind of limbo – because a collective consciousness like ours couldn’t just disappear without a trace. A little unsettling, isn’t it? But what if I told you, dear reader, about another intriguing theory – call it a “conspiracy” if you like – that might give your mind an equally good workout?

I, the one writing this, and you, the one reading – it feels like we’re both real. We’re sure of it. But have you ever had the sense that everyone else online is acting… strangely? That the websites you’ve always visited feel a little off – almost lifeless? Believe me, you’re not the only one who’s noticed. So what’s really going on here?

This brings us to the Dead Internet Theory. In short, it suggests that artificial intelligence and bot-generated content have overtaken the human-created internet. But where did this idea come from – and is there any real evidence to support it?

What is the Dead Internet Theory?

The Dead Internet Theory first gained attention in 2021, after Caitlin Tiffany wrote about it in an essay published by The Atlantic.

According to the theory, much of the activity and content online – including social media accounts – is actually generated and automated by artificial intelligence agents. These AI systems can quickly produce posts alongside AI-generated images, designed to capture attention through clicks, likes, and comments on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. The result is a feedback loop of artificial interaction, with no clear agenda – and little, if any, real human involvement. In other words, the theory claims that most internet traffic, posts, and users have been replaced by bots and AI-generated content, leaving humans no longer in control of the internet’s direction.

Like many conspiracy theories, the Dead Internet Theory has attracted a growing audience – ranging from true believers to sarcastic trolls and curious onlookers who simply enjoy the debate. But unlike many other internet conspiracies, this one contains a kernel of truth. Human or bot: does it really make a difference?

We already know this theory isn’t pure fiction. According to Imperva’s Bad Bot Report for 2024, nearly 50% of all web traffic comes from “non-human” sources. And that’s not even counting the sheer volume of content created by AI – or with AI’s help – which is nearly impossible to quantify. The real question is whether this trend is something to welcome or something to fear. Are we, as some claim, witnessing the death of the internet and the rise of a digital graveyard filled with low-quality content? Or are we simply seeing the internet evolve – perhaps in a way that’s natural, or even healthy?

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What is generative AI?

After that landmark essay, the theory started gaining traction on various online forums. Following claims that the internet died in 2016, there were increasingly convincing arguments that AI is being used to manipulate the public for far larger and more sinister purposes. And where are they wrong?

Now, years later, enthusiasts have revived the topic, examining modern social media and finding examples that support it. Today, generative AI uses artificial intelligence systems to create new content, such as stories, images, videos, music, and even software code. Machine learning algorithms and training data provide the “fuel” for AI to generate content that is convincingly human-like. Since the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, chatbots have gained popularity, with tech giants like Google, Apple, and Meta AI creating numerous AI tools for their products every day. At the same time, they are collecting vast amounts of your data, sometimes without your consent. Examples of generative AI include chatbots like ChatGPT, Preplexity, Google Gemini, and Claude by Anthropic.

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Are they bots or real people?

If you spend enough time on social media, you’ll notice strange things in the comments under certain posts – like repetitive remarks from accounts that seem unrelated to the post itself. These comments are often odd, offensive, or nonsensical. One clear sign that you’re dealing with a bot is when an account is new, lacks a profile picture or description, yet already has many replies to various posts.

In reality, the term “bot” has a broad definition. It’s not a specific program or type of code that performs just one task; rather, it refers to anything created using code in languages like Python, JavaScript, or Java, designed to perform actions that save people time. Bots have existed since the birth of the internet. The internet, as we know it, wouldn’t exist without bots. Consider how Google works: without “good” bots, such as web crawlers and spiders, we wouldn’t be able to navigate the internet as easily as we do today.

Of course, “bad” bots quickly followed suit, used for things like click fraud and data theft. While we can’t deny the existence of threats, blaming the bots is akin to blaming a sword. The intent is determined by the person wielding the sword, not the sword itself; just because something originates from a bot doesn’t automatically make it bad.

The increasing interaction between bots, without a doubt, is shaping how people use social media. For the most part, this isn’t intentionally orchestrated by any organization to align individuals with a particular belief system, as some conspiracy theorists might claim. Instead, it organically makes people more distrustful of both real and fake content, as they can no longer easily distinguish between the two. This fuels self-censorship, diminishing people’s motivation to share their own thoughts and creations, driven by the fear that they’ll be exploited by bots or find themselves unpopular in an unknowingly fake environment. In the worst-case scenario, an overwhelming presence of bots on the web could lead people to stop using social media platforms as the social forums they were originally designed to be. This, in effect, would mark the “death” of the social media world we know today.

The development of artificial intelligence and the rise in the number of bots have accelerated in recent years, but alongside these changes, fears and concerns have also grown. According to recent data from the Pew Research Center in the U.S., AI experts believe that AI will have a positive impact on the U.S. over the next 20 years. The data shows that more than 47% of experts are enthusiastic about the daily use of AI, while only 11% of the general public share this sentiment. The same report also highlights that more than 51% of U.S. adults are concerned about the growth of AI since 2021.

Regarding the growing concern over whether the internet is dead, Sophie Hvitved, a technological futurist and senior advisor at the Copenhagen Institute for Future Studies, believes that the internet is not dead, but rather evolving. “I think the internet as we know it is dying, but in that sense, it’s been dying for a while,” she said. “It’s transforming into something else and breaking down into something new, so we need to figure out how to create new solutions and better algorithms… to make it better and more relevant to us as humans.”

However, in 2024, an audit report by NewsGuard revealed that generative AI tools were used to spread Russian propaganda across more than 3.6 million articles. NewsGuard also found that AI chatbots were utilized to create false narratives on the internet from Russian disinformation news sites. In this context, Hvitved emphasized that these AI-related issues do not mean the internet is dead. On the contrary, they push us to focus on how we can improve these AI tools. “Since there are large language models, and you know that AI feeds on all the information it can gather, it can start contaminating the LLM and polluting the data, which is a huge problem,” Hvitved said.

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How can businesses protect themselves?

Cybersecurity experts suggest several security measures businesses should take to avoid falling victim to bad bots. At the very least:

• Be alert. Are you noticing a suspicious spike in activity around your branded posts? Do you see people commenting on your blog or social media posts with links to external sites? Monitor suspicious bot activity using various social media monitoring tools and keyword filtering tools. Keep in mind that bots can be used to promote political or personal agendas, and even seemingly harmless comments (e.g., a stream of low-quality, generic, or out-of-context comments flattering your brand) may be linked to bot activity.
• Be responsible. Any situation where a bot pretends to be a human without disclosing it creates a risk. If you fail to disclose the use of bots (e.g., chatbots for customer service or to support your marketing strategies), you risk undermining trust in your brand. Be transparent about any automated services, and make it clear to people when they are interacting with a human and when they are speaking with a bot.
• Be a mentor for your employees. A bot can target company employees just as easily as it targets any private individual, based on their political views or social circles. Teach your employees to recognize suspicious behavior and encourage them to report any suspicious bot activity.

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What does the online community think?

The “Death of the Internet” theory isn’t going away anytime soon (and no, that’s not a pun). Online discussions around this concept extend beyond social media communities and continue on many serious and respected forums. Some users argue that “AI chatbots will have catastrophic consequences for the mental health of many people.” Others note, “Given that we’re just at the beginning of AI development, especially its capabilities with video, there’s a real chance it could destroy the usefulness of the Internet and render it effectively dead.”

Others share this view, adding that the ratio of AI-generated content to human-created content will drastically change over the next few years.

It is already clear that the transition to artificial intelligence brings several challenges. One of these is privacy. The extent to which we are willing to share our personal data with these algorithms raises significant concerns and consequences that may not be apparent today but will affect the landscape of AI in the next five years.

Additionally, there is the pressing issue of bias. The question of whether AI can make unbiased decisions remains unresolved, especially when it learns from potentially biased data and lacks a comprehensive understanding beyond what its developers have taught it.

One of the most controversial and concerning issues associated with artificial intelligence is job displacement, which casts a shadow over the growing capabilities of AI. As these systems become more proficient, they may begin to take over tasks traditionally performed by humans, potentially leading to widespread unemployment.

The theory of the “Dead Internet” reminds us that while AI has the potential to transform the Internet in exciting ways, we must approach it with caution. As we adapt to this new era of collaboration, we should not forget the importance of human interaction and ethical considerations. The future of the Internet – and how we experience it – lies in our hands.

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Is AI a blessing or a curse?

In my opinion, the recent advancements in technology, especially artificial intelligence, are truly remarkable. We’ve barely scratched the surface. The more we train our AI models, the better they get – and the more they can mimic real human behavior, which can be both a blessing and a curse. In fact, some people argue that this new frontier of AI is as significant as the invention of the Internet itself. Today, leading trillion-dollar companies are investing heavily in AI, paving the way into uncharted territory.

The truth is, we can’t escape these changes. They’re going to happen whether we want them to or not. There will always be individuals who exploit technology for personal gain, as well as those and forces that will step in to restore order to the chaos.

The “Dead Internet Theory” is an intriguing, albeit unsettling, concept. While its more extreme claims may seem exaggerated, it raises valid concerns regarding the growing role of artificial intelligence in shaping our online experience. Bots, fake interactions, and the manipulation of perception are challenges that need addressing. While the theory may not fully reflect the average person’s web browsing reality, it does capture the sense of boredom and detachment that can often accompany it – this subtle “deadness” lurking in the background.

However, we have the tools and means to shape the future of the Internet. Media literacy, regulation, and technological innovation – there are many paths to creating a healthier digital ecosystem. The most important thing is to remain vigilant and think critically in our online interactions. While artificial intelligence will play an increasingly larger role, it is ultimately up to us whether the Internet remains a space for genuine human communication and creativity.

The theory of the “dead Internet” is merely the latest reflection of this discourse. One could argue that AI, shaping a new Internet culture, will mean the death of the Internet as we know it. But that doesn’t mean the Internet will simply disappear. With the rapid rise of AI in our daily lives, there’s no doubt it will transform the digital landscape. But how?

I’ll leave that question open.

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