I don't know, it's really hard to blame them. In a way, the next couple of years are going to be a battle to balance easy access to info with compensation for content creators.

The web as we knew it before ChatGPT was built around the idea that humans have to scavenge for information, and while they're doing that, you can show them ads. In that world, content didn't need to be too protected because you were making up for it in eyeballs anyway.

With AI, that model is breaking down. We're seeing a shift towards bot traffic rather than human traffic, and information can be accessed far more effectively and, most importantly, without ad impressions. So, it makes total sense for them to be more protective about who has access to their content and to make sure people are actually paying for it, be it with ad views or some other form of agreement.

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SV_BubbleTime 3 days ago | parent | next [-]

Don’t worry!

Ads are coming to AI. The big AI push next will be context, your context all the time. Your phone will “help” and get all your data to OpenAI…

“It looks like you went for a run today? Good job, you deserve a treat! Studies show a little ice cream after a long run is effectively free calories! It just so happens the nearest Dairy Queen is running a promotion just for the next 30 minutes. I’m getting you directions now.”

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codedokode 3 days ago | parent | next [-]

It would not be that much of a problem if ads promoted healthy and tasty food but they will probably promote an ice-cream made from a powder and chemicals emulating taste of berries rather than from milk and fresh-picked berries.

	▲	therein 3 days ago \| parent [-]
		It still would be. Loss of agency. Ads are text and images you see. Native advertising in a chatbot conversation is a third party bidding their way into your conversation. Machine showing you an ad versus injecting intention into your context are very different things.

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3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

[deleted]

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bitwize 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

This is why contra Louis Rossman, Clippy was not a good thing for humanity.

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nebula8804 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

If open source AI becomes good enough would this model hold? I guess they will try to shut down the open models as they come close?

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Noumenon72 3 days ago | parent | prev [-]

"I'm calling the user analysis tool... it seems this user is health conscious. I'll suggest a trail app for their next run instead of ice cream."

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chrisweekly 3 days ago | parent | prev [-]

I think your point is valid, but FTR the "shift" happened long before ChatGPT; bot traffic has exceeded that of humans for over a decade.