The Future of the Web Between AI and Human Experience

Proclaimed by tech prophets and supported by data, the web is said to be on the brink of extinction in the near term.

In just a few months, a revolution has taken place, and the rapid rise of new conversational interfaces (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, etc.) is already significantly changing search habits.

Why visit a website when a generative AI can provide a tailored and personalized response by cross-referencing multiple sources of information?

The Impact of Generative AIs on Web Traffic

Several players are already noticing a drop in web traffic. Google Search's dominance is being increasingly challenged (41.3 million monthly ChatGPT users over the past six months in Europe according to a Statista study), and the integration of AI overview features directly within Google Search (1.5 billion users worldwide) is causing a decrease of 35% to 15% on indexed sites.

Is this the end of websites?

The reality, for now, is more nuanced. While Google Search maintains its dominant position with over 5 trillion searches in 2024 (+21.64% vs. 2023), ChatGPT only reached 400 million weekly users by February 2025 but with much faster growth (+20% vs. December 2024).

But the landscape is shifting rapidly... Brands and advertisers now need to think about their presence on LLMs, and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) becomes a complement to SEO (Search Engine Optimization).

Toward a More Immersive Web

Beyond information searches, a website remains a showcase that reflects a brand's identity and the tone of a media outlet. Whether you're a consumer looking for a product, a candidate seeking an employer, or a citizen searching for information, a website also carries these dimensions and provides an optimized experience.

Unlike AI response engines, websites remain and will continue to be a channel for sharing and providing information for a perhaps smaller, but also more engaged group of consumers and users.

This trend could elevate websites by improving the visitor experience and offering more interactivity.

Toward a More Streamlined Web

Generative AIs feed on available web content to train but also to provide up-to-date information.

Websites play a dual role for Generative AI: a knowledge base for the initial training of LLMs (teaching them to "speak" and providing a knowledge foundation) and increasingly a source of fresh, validated information to complete responses.

But to utilize a website, AI only needs the information it contains.

All graphic elements become unnecessary. Unlike human users, Generative AIs need streamlined websites.

Startups like lightpanda are already positioning themselves in this area, offering a web browser for generative AIs.

Two Webs

We are heading toward a bifurcation of the web:

On one side, websites designed for generative AIs: streamlined and minimalist. These sites would become mere APIs, usable only by generative AIs. Sites already oriented in this direction (Wikipedia, StackOverflow for developers) and discussion forums (Reddit, etc.) will be the most impacted and will likely need to reinvent themselves.

On the other side, more experiential, interactive, and engaging sites that will remain a touchpoint for users, perhaps slightly fewer, but more engaged.

This duality does not signal the death of the web but its transformation.

In reference:

• The Ahrefs Study shows a 34.5% drop in clicks for sites ranking first in search results

• The Amsive Study shows an overall 15.49% drop in clicks when AI previews are present

These two studies confirm the results published in February by Seer Interactive: “If AI Overviews appear in search results, there are fewer clicks on organic and paid links elsewhere on the page.”