Fears over internet theory coming true as AI agents flood the web

TechnologyDigital
21 Aug 2026 • 8:27 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Fears over internet theory coming true as AI agents flood the web

  • A new Pew Research Center study reveals that 35 per cent of web pages published since the release of ChatGPT show significant signs of AI editing or authorship.
  • Across a five-year archive of nearly half a million English-language web pages, 10 per cent overall showed significant signs of AI creation.
  • The findings reinforce concerns over the dead internet theory, which suggests the web is increasingly generated and consumed by automated systems rather than humans.
  • The research highlighted a rise in specific AI writing habits, including doubled usage of em dashes and words like delve, with .com websites being the most affected.
  • Researchers used the text-analysis tool Open Pangram on a large web dataset to identify broader statistical trends across the internet.

IN FULL

Newswav Malaysia Best News App

Newswav is an online content aggregator and obtains its content from different online sources. The content in the app do not belong to Newswav nor do they reflect the opinions of Newswav and its staff. Your use of this app indicates your understanding and acceptance of this information.

Newswav Sdn. Bhd. (201701008480 (1222645-M)) 2026 All Rights Reserved