What will the internet be like in 2030?

Three visions of the web after AI

Dear reader —

This week AI Traffic Report hit 40 subscribers! I want to thank everyone who shares my fascination with how AI is reshaping the web. Now grab your crystal ball because this week we’re predicting the future of the internet.

Source: AI Traffic Report

But first, here is your weekly traffic report.

🚀 AI Traffic Report — June 9th, 2025

• Perplexity AI’s search engine just hit 780 million queries in May, with over 20% month-over-month growth. Their CEO predicts a billion queries a week within a year at this rate.

• Over one-third of all internet traffic is now automated bots. While some bots are good, like search engine crawlers, the sheer volume of harmful automation is a massive problem for online security and privacy.

• Reddit is suing Anthropic for scraping their data to build Claude. This follows X's move to block AI training on its content. If more platforms follow suit, how will future AI models be trained?

• Creators on social media are pretending to be AI-generated and “doing it for the prompt”. Some users can’t distinguish human-made videos from Veo 3 generated content. Have we crossed the generative AI rubicon?

An artificial web

AI content is now so indistinguishable from real content that people are pretending to be AI-generated. All over social media this week, creators were “doing it for the prompt”. Usually this meant taking shots of whisky or doing something reckless “because the prompt told them to”. In the comments, some people questioned if the content was AI-generated.

Source: drakecummings

We have reached a critical inflection point and now the future of the internet seems uncertain. And content generation isn’t the only change AI is bringing to the web. Up to one third of internet traffic is now bots. Meanwhile, future iterations of LLMs still need content to train on. Can future LLMs even be trained on an internet filled with “AI Slop”?

Many fear that the internet will turn into a wasteland of bots sharing AI-generated content and mimicking the conversations us humans used to have on the web. As someone who grew up on Tumblr, a platform with a strong community and unique culture, the “flattening” of the internet scares me. But what does the future of the internet really look like? And what can we do to prepare?

The web after AI — three visions

Over the next few years, AI content, tools and algorithms will saturate every corner of the web. Let’s make a few predictions to understand what the online world might look like 5 years down the line. We’ll also look at how people might respond to each possible future, and how businesses will adapt to stay ahead. As you move through each possibility, think about your own corner of the internet. You might notice these changes aren’t just theoretical. The seeds of these digital futures are already visible in our current online experiences.

The hyper-personalized filter bubble

Source: AI Traffic Report

Imagine this: You open Tiktok and an AI-generated local news reporter is covering a new gluten-free cafe that’s opening two blocks from your apartment. The reporter suspiciously resembles your most-watched Youtuber, and even offers you a free blueberry scone (your favorite pastry).

If this happened today, you might feel unsettled. But 5 years from now? This flavor of hyper-personalized content might be the new norm. In the filter bubble, we are served content that meticulously reflects every facet of our personality. News feeds, entertainment, advertisements, and even social interactions will be highly curated. Much of the content we encounter will be AI-generated and designed to perfectly align with our tastes and beliefs.

But the AI impact won’t end with social media algorithms. AI agents, or digital assistants, will handle many routine online tasks, from shopping to managing communications. This will further shield us from the unfiltered web. Exposure to the vast depths of the internet will be next to impossible. Discovering things outside of our algorithmic focus will take a concerted effort.

How will users react?

In the filter bubble, users will appreciate the convenience that AI provides, but feel an underlying anxiety. The internet will seem less "real" and more manipulative. The classic browser named “Internet explorer” won’t make sense anymore because the internet is now about “serving” rather than exploring. Nostalgia for the internet’s simpler beginnings will inspire the growth of tight-knit, human-focused online corners.

How will businesses adapt?

• Nostalgia focus: Tools will be developed to capture nostalgia for the “old” internet. We may see platforms reintroduce forum-style interfaces, with AI simulating nostalgic internet experiences that resonate with users.

• Algorithm opt-out: Social media platforms will implement controls that allow users temporarily escape their filter bubble. Businesses will need to be transparent about how their AI algorithms curate content. Platforms may provide visibility into personalization data and enable users to modify algorithmic inputs directly.

• Focus on human-to-human interaction: Platforms will build features that support genuine human connection. We can expect to see verified human profiles and community-focused digital spaces.

The authenticity premium digital economy

Source: AI Traffic Report

You open Instagram and start scrolling. A reel catches your eye. It’s the computer engineer you first came across during his layoff, talking openly about purpose, uncertainty, and starting over. You didn’t stick around for the tech content. You stayed because his story drew you in. Like many of the creators in your feed, he shares with honesty, and you appreciate the way he turns personal moments into something meaningful. Like most of the accounts you follow, you appreciate his focus on storytelling and his vulnerability in front of the camera.

In the Authenticity Premium web, real human connection is elevated as the most valuable commodity on the internet. As AI content saturates the mainstream, a strong counter-movement gains momentum. Genuine human creativity and interaction are elevated as "human-made" becomes a brand in itself. Platforms and creators proudly display the human origin of their work with verification badges.

How will users react?

In an authenticity premium web, people will seek out and pay more for human-made content. This content will be viewed as more trustworthy, artistic, and relatable. Users will prioritize experiences that feel authentic and connect them. Unlabeled AI content, especially in areas like news and personal advice, will be viewed with mistrust and skepticism.

The internet will become a duality: a bot-filled swamp of AI-generated content, but also a place to form and preserve human to human connection. There will be a conscious effort to navigate and discern the two webs.

How will businesses adapt?

• Human verification: Platforms will implement systems to verify human creators and the origin of content.

• Niche communities: Platforms will support niche communities centered around specific human creators and authentic themes.

• Content creator empowerment: Platforms will offer tools and monetization models that specifically empower and protect human artists, journalists, and content creators.

• Slow content: We will see a move away from hyper-optimized, algorithm-driven viral content towards more thoughtful human storytelling.

• User-generated (UGC) content: Businesses will increase budgets for user-generated content from authentic and verified creators.

The AI-collaborative internet

Source: AI Traffic Report

Your favorite independent filmmaker just released a new 7-part film on TikTok. Real actors appear against AI-generated landscapes. The “real” and the “artificial” are seamlessly blended to create something both fantastical and deeply human.

In this scenario, AI is expanding the creative canvas. Digital creators will use AI tools to unlock new forms of expression, merging handcrafted performance with machine-generated worlds. As storytelling becomes more collaborative between human and machine, the line between creator and engine, starts to blur.

The most successful creators will be the ones wielding it with intention. They’ll use it to move faster, imagine bigger, and bring personal stories to life.

How will users react?

People will appreciate the increased quantity and quality of content, even if they know AI played a role. The focus shifts from "is it human or AI?" to "is it good and engaging?" There will be a higher expectation for polished, professional-looking content across all platforms.

How will businesses adapt?

• AI tools for creators: Social media platforms will integrate advanced AI tools directly into their creation suites. Users will have easy access to AI tools for content generation, editing, and optimization.

• Showcasing creative process: Features that allow creators to reveal their AI-assisted workflows, fostering transparency and educating audiences.

• New forms of collaborative content: Platforms will explore features that enable users to collaborate on content creation using AI tools, combining individual creativity with collective intelligence.

• Focus on niche and hyper-specific content: AI's ability to generate content on demand will lead to an explosion of hyper-niche content catering to extremely specific interests.

How can we plan for the future of the web?

Looking ahead to 2030, I see the web shaped by a blend of these three futures.

I imagine hyper-personalized feeds that know us better than we know ourselves. The platforms we use will offer the ultimate convenience, but also risk narrowing our worldview. I see a rise in “human-made” content in response to AI saturation, with authenticity as a core value-driver. I also imagine creators collaborating with AI to produce work that’s faster, richer, and more immersive than ever before.

The web won’t collapse into one future. It will split, recombine, and evolve. Some spaces will feel soulless, stuffed with slop. Others will morph into a brand-new communities where machine-assisted creativity is used to deepen human connection.

So how do we build for this messy, multifaceted future?

We start with a new set of principles grounded in flexibility, authenticity, and intentional use of AI.

Principles for creating in a fragmented internet:

🧩 Build for fragmentation. The “mass internet” is disappearing. Start thinking in micro-communities, not broad demographics. Build experiences that speak directly to niche cultures, subgroups, and identity pockets.

🪞Design with transparency. As AI-generated content floods the web, it it will be up to brands to help users feel grounded. Whether you’re using AI or not, make your process visible. Lean on human verification and behind-the-scenes glimpses to build trust.

🎭 Elevate the human edge. In an authenticity economy, human perspective becomes the gold standard. Put faces to brands and focus on voice, vulnerability, and storytelling. The content that feel most human will stand out against a feed saturated with AI slop.

🤝 Treat AI as a creative partner. Use AI to build faster and experiment more, but keep a human creativity at the center of your strategy. The sweet spot is where human taste meets machine capability.

➰ Stay flexible. The AI-driven web is changing every day. The tools will keep evolving and so will the norms. Watch how users respond and be ready to pivot in response to changing attitudes.

Here’s to the internet of tomorrow!

We’re not heading toward a single future web. We’re building in parallel across many overlapping internets. And the people who succeed will be the ones who find new ways to make digital spaces meaningful.

We can’t fully control what the web becomes. But we can influence what kind of spaces we build, who we build them for, and how we show up online. That’s the kind of traffic I want to see more of.

I’d love to know:

What kind of digital communities do you want to create? How do you plan to use AI to elevate human connection?

See you on the internet of the future!

— Grace with AI Traffic Report