Bots Overtake Humans at 53% of Web Traffic as Dead Internet Theory Gains Ground
Updated
Updated · Engadget · Nov 10
Bots Overtake Humans at 53% of Web Traffic as Dead Internet Theory Gains Ground
1 articles · Updated · Engadget · Nov 10
Summary
53% of all web traffic now comes from bots, up from 51% a year earlier, according to cybersecurity group Thales, putting automated activity ahead of human use online.
That shift is feeding renewed attention to the “dead internet theory” — a once-fringe idea that bots and AI-generated content increasingly dominate search, social feeds and online interactions.
49% of Americans said in 2026 they had used chatbots, up from 33% in 2024, while 25% now use them daily, extending AI “chatbot loops” into schools, hiring and customer service.
40% of Americans expect AI to hurt society over the next 20 years, and concerns are widening from uncanny online content to election disinformation spread through deepfakes and chatbots.
Regulatory and commercial responses are emerging: the EU AI Act has pushed OpenAI to watermark AI-generated content, while AI-detection startup Pangram raised $9 million in July.