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Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian supported the dead-internet theory and raised an alarm against bots and artificial intelligence dominating the online space.
What is the dead-internet theory? (Representative Image)
Once considered a conspiracy, the dead-internet theory is now gaining believers, even among prominent figures. According to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, the idea that bots and automated content are now dominating online activity and causing a “dead” internet space holds significant merit. Ohanian is alarmed by the condition of popular social media platforms, which he says are running primarily on “botted” and “quasi-AI” interactions.
In an episode of the TBPN podcast on Monday, October 13, Ohanian expressed his frustration over existing social media algorithms and noted how artificial intelligence is dominating the online space. The Reddit co-founder supported his argument that we have a “dead internet” by citing generic posts on professional networks like LinkedIn as evidence.
“You all prove the point that so much of the internet is now just dead—this whole dead internet theory, right? Whether it’s botted, whether it’s quasi-AI, LinkedIn slop,” Ohanian said.
Experts Agree With The Theory
Many experts now agree with Ohanian’s argument, calling out a dead internet space ruined by bots and heavy AI-based interactions. It is suspected that around 51 per cent of the internet’s traffic today is being generated by bots and AI-powered accounts that create and spread content widely.
i never took the dead internet theory that seriously but it seems like there are really a lot of LLM-run twitter accounts now— Sam Altman (@sama) September 3, 2025
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently acknowledged the phenomenon at hand and revisited his stance on the “dead internet theory.” Altman posted on X: “I never took the dead internet theory that seriously but it seems like there are really a lot of LLM-run twitter accounts now.”
Ohanian’s Idea To Combat Dead Internet
The dead-internet theory first gained traction back in 2021 after a post by ‘IlluminatiPirate’ on the Agora Road forum. The post later appeared in The Atlantic with a headline, “Maybe you missed it, but the internet ‘died’ five years ago.”
Since then, data from many cybersecurity firms has also supported the idea that bots and AI-based accounts have been dominating online interactions. As per Cloudflare, almost one-third of internet traffic is coming from bots. Imperva claimed the number is higher and that nearly 50 per cent of the traffic on social media today is originating from non-human sources.
Ohanian shared an idea to combat the dead internet problem, advocating for a more vibrant online space with “live viewers and live content”. “I think we’ll see a next generation of social media emerge that’s verifiably human, because it’s all going down in the group chats now,” he said, also calling for regulations based on “proof of life” to verify the user base.
A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what’s creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.
A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what’s creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.
Delhi, India, India
October 19, 2025, 10:00 IST
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