One-third of new websites are now AI-generated
About 35% of websites published by mid-2025 are AI-generated, according to a study by researchers from Imperial College London, the Internet Archive, and Stanford University. Over 20% of those sites are fully AI-generated, with no human authorship involved.
The findings mark a sharp rise since ChatGPT's launch in late 2022, when AI-generated websites were virtually nonexistent. The percentage has climbed steadily over the past three years, and the trend is accelerating.
What the research found
Researchers examined websites published between mid-2022 and mid-2025 using the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine. They tested six hypotheses about how AI content affects web quality.
Two hypotheses held up. First, AI is reducing semantic diversity-the range of unique ideas and viewpoints on the internet is shrinking. Second, online writing is becoming artificially positive and sanitized, lacking the texture and complexity of human-written content.
The other four hypotheses didn't materialize. Factual accuracy isn't declining as feared. Researchers also found no evidence that AI sites are becoming longer with less substance, that they're avoiding external links, or that truth decay is accelerating.
How to identify AI-generated content
Check bylines. Look for articles with actual author names. A quick search can verify whether the person exists and has genuine expertise in the subject.
Read critically. AI writing often lacks depth and personal insight. Sentences can feel generic or disconnected from one another. The prose tends toward a particular register-safe, inoffensive, and unmemorable.
Watch for volume. Sites publishing enormous amounts of content without a visible large staff are likely using AI. Unless you're reading from a major publication with many writers, high output is a warning sign.
Verify across sources. Cross-check claims with other publications. This practice protects you regardless of whether AI is involved.
For writers navigating AI tools, understanding how AI-generated content reads-and how readers detect it-matters. The data suggests that human authorship, distinctive voice, and original reporting remain valuable precisely because they're becoming scarcer.
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