Wikipedia Traffic Declines Amid AI & Social Media Shift

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Wikipedia, long considered the internet’s most reliable resource, has seen human pageviews drop 8% YoY, according to the Wikimedia Foundation.

Why the dip?

Generative AI: Search engines now answer queries directly, bypassing links.

Social video platforms: Younger generations increasingly look to TikTok, Reels, and Shorts for information.

Foundation exec Marshall Miller warned:
“With fewer visits, fewer volunteers enrich content, and fewer donors support our work.”

Wikipedia paused its own AI summary experiment after editor pushback and is now developing a new framework to ensure attribution when AI uses its content.

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Wikipedia’s concern about AI highlights growing fear over misinformation and content misuse.

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Wikipedia must evolve its model to stay relevant as users move toward AI-curated content.