What changed
Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit, expressed concerns about the future of user-generated content (UGC) and the increasing role of AI in shaping the internet. During an interview at the WIRED World Fair, Ohanian stated that building social media apps is no longer 'cool' and that much of the internet has been compromised. He envisions a better version of group chat as the new form of UGC.
What this means in practice
Ohanian, who resigned from Reddit in 2020 to push for content moderation reforms, now runs the venture capital firm Seven Seven Six. He focuses on sports and real-life communities amid the rise of AI-driven content. He supports the 'Dead Internet Theory,' suggesting that much of online activity is generated by bots, with large language models accelerating this trend. Ohanian believes that the internet, once designed for humans, is now being created primarily for AI agents, which could lead to a shift in user interfaces and experiences.
Limitations and availability
Ohanian acknowledged that platforms like Reddit have benefited from licensing their content to companies such as Google and OpenAI for AI training. However, he also noted the negative impact of AI on Reddit's business, citing a 29 percent drop in shares after the platform warned that Google's AI search was affecting referral traffic. While he did not comment on Reddit's recent requirement for user sign-ins to combat scraping, he emphasized the need for 'provable humanity' online without being intrusive. Ohanian remains optimistic about AI's potential for medical breakthroughs but stresses the importance of responsible development.
