“Wikipedia,” one of the last bastions of reliable knowledge on the internet, is facing a noticeable decline in human visitors, with an 8% drop over the past year, according to a new report by Marshall Miller from the Wikimedia Foundation.
The foundation stated that the true decline in visits became apparent after improving its bot detection systems. The review revealed that a significant portion of the high traffic in May and June of last year came from automated software (bots) designed to avoid detection, as reported by “TechCrunch” and reviewed by “Al-Arabiya Business.”
AI is Eating into Search Traffic
Miller explained that one of the main reasons for the drop in visits is the impact of generative AI and social media on how people search for information. He pointed out that search engines now provide answers directly to users through AI-powered summaries, instead of referring them to sites like “Wikipedia.”
He noted that younger generations now prefer searching via short videos on platforms like “TikTok” and “Instagram,” rather than browsing traditional websites.
It is worth mentioning that “Google” has denied that its AI-powered summaries are behind the decline in “Wikipedia’s” traffic.
The Risk of Declining Source Awareness
Although the foundation welcomes new ways of acquiring knowledge, Miller warned that the decline in visits could lead to a drop in the number of volunteers and contributors who enrich the encyclopedia’s content, alongside a decline in the financial support that “Wikipedia” relies on from individuals.
He indicated that the foundation is developing a new content attribution framework to ensure the source of information is clarified in outputs based on the encyclopedia’s data.
“Wikimedia” has also formed two specialized teams to expand its reader base and attract new volunteers around the world.
A Call to Protect Human Knowledge
Miller concluded his article by calling on users to support reliable knowledge and human-generated content, saying: “When you search for information online, check the sources and click through to the original material. Talk to people you know about the importance of knowledge created by humans, and remind them that the content fueling AI is produced by real people who deserve appreciation and support.”
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