Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson (Preview) The Post-AI Internet Realities, How Future Creators Can Succeed, Mail on Startups, F1 Rights, and Alternative Rock
13 snips
Jul 24, 2025 Discover how a pay-per-crawl model could reshape the internet content landscape and hear the grim future foreseen for digital publishers. The conversation dives into the evolving challenges faced by creators in an AI-driven world, comparing traditional media's struggles to emerging, innovative platforms. Explore the implications of AI on content sustainability, the value of community connections, and the impact of market dynamics. Plus, a lighthearted take on Stephen Colbert's departure from CBS and intriguing insights on F1 broadcast rights and alternative rock.
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Power Imbalance in AI Crawling
- The mismatch in power between AI companies and individual websites complicates pay-per-crawl models.
- AI systems need a lot of content but not necessarily from any specific website.
Ghost Kitchens for Content
- New content markets will foster entities dedicated solely to generating AI-optimized content.
- These entities will resemble ghost kitchens, existing only to meet AI demand efficiently.
NYT's Subscription Success
- The New York Times succeeded by aligning their editorial mission with subscription value.
- Most other publishers struggle since AI accelerates pre-existing decline in web traffic and revenue.